american english - avoid the slash?


Should the slash be avoided?


For example every week/day in my head is translated to every week or day. I think I started using slashes because I saw them used in forums and in articles.


Is using slashes U.S. specific, while British English is against it? Or do I understand it wrong?


P.S. If you find any spelling errors here, please let me know.



Answer



Most style guides recommend against using the slash in phrases like “X and/or Y”, as well as “this is hard/impossible to do”. In particular, scientific publications now have strong policies against this ramping-up use, because it allows for a lot of imprecision in the writing, and weakens the scientific discussion. I know that is the case in the world of physics and chemistry publishing, and this entry, for example, seems to indicate it is so in other fields.


The one place I find it's gained real traction in both written and spoken language is when it's used in, e.g., “he was a comedian-slash-banjo player”, where it is now often spelt out as here.


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