Should Non-Conformance Be Hyphenated?

In the world of grammar and punctuation, the use of hyphens can often be a point of confusion and debate. One common question that arises is whether or not “non-conformance” should be hyphenated. This article will explore the rules surrounding hyphen usage, the guidelines for hyphenating compound words, and ultimately, provide a definitive answer to the question at hand.
What Are Hyphens and Their Purpose?
Hyphens are short lines used to connect words or parts of words. They serve a variety of purposes, such as clarifying meaning, indicating word division at the end of a line, or forming compound words. When it comes to compound words, the decision to hyphenate or not can significantly impact the readability and correctness of a sentence.
Guidelines for Hyphenating Compound Words:

1. Two or More Words Acting as a Single Concept: When two or more words come together to form a single concept or description, they are typically hyphenated. For example, “well-being” and “high-quality” are hyphenated compound words.
2. Prevent Ambiguity: Hyphens can also prevent ambiguity in sentence structures. For instance, “small business owner” would be hyphenated to avoid confusion between a “small-business owner” and a “small business-owner.”
3. Adverbs Ending in -ly: Adverbs ending in -ly are usually not hyphenated, as seen in “highly skilled” and “quickly approaching.”
   Should Non-Conformance Be Hyphenated?
   The term “non-conformance” is formed by combining the prefix “non-” with the noun “conformance.” According to the guidelines for hyphenating compound words, it is recommended to hyphenate when the compound serves as an adjective. In this case, “non-conformance” would be hyphenated when used to describe something that does not conform to a certain standard or expectation.