Use of a hyphen in words containing "re"

[SurreyGuy]

Is there a specific rule pertaining to the writing of words such as "rejoin/re-join", "revisit/re-visit"?

[jno]

no... by and large, one word is the usual. But if you want to make clear the difference between a footballer quitting, or renewing his contract, you might say 'resign' for one and 're-sign' for the other just to make it clear.

[bookbinder]

The short answer is: there doesn't appear to be a specific rule that covers your question. Sir Ernest Gowers, in The Complete Plain Words (Pelican Books 1975. ISBN 01402.05543) is usually a good source for queries such as yours, but on the subject of hyphens and their uses he steers away from laying down rules. One of my dictionaries (Bloomsbury Concise English Dictionary 2nd edition. A. & C. Black. London. 2005. ISBN 0-7136-7499-7) is more precise: "For some the hyphens are optional, or inserted only when the word or phrase is used before a noun : a coffee-table book ... Most words with prefixes do not have a hyphen, exceptions being ... those where the word could be confused with another (e.g. re-form ... as distinct from reform). A hyphen is sometimes inserted when a prefix ending in a vowel is added to a word beginning with a vowel (e.g. co-opt, de-ice)." That's what some experts say, so now I'll add my opinion: rejoin and revisit should not have hyphens. In fact, my quoted dictionary spells those two words without hyphens. To end with Sir Ernest Gowers, "Do not use hyphens unnecessarily." I hope that this has been of some help.

[SurreyGuy]

Thanks guys.