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Thread: semantic difference between EM and STRONG and when should they be combined

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From: Tim Luoma
Date: Thu, Aug 15 2002 10:08PM
Subject: semantic difference between EM and STRONG and when should they be combined
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I've been using EM and STRONG for awhile, but I want to make sure that
I'm using them correctly.... actually I'm realizing I'm not entirely
sure what the proper usage of them is, semantically speaking, since they
seem quite similar... It almost seems like EFFECT vs AFFECT or WHO vs
WHOM in English... I know there's a difference, but I'm never sure I'm
using them correctly.

Can someone give examples of

When you would use EM rather than STRONG?

When you would use STRONG rather than EM?

When you would use BOTH combined (if ever)?

Thanks
TjL



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From: Sam Buchanan
Date: Fri, Aug 16 2002 9:28AM
Subject: Re: semantic difference between EM and STRONG and when should they be combined
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Tim Luoma wrote:
> When you would use EM rather than STRONG?
> When you would use STRONG rather than EM?
> When you would use BOTH combined (if ever)?

Contrived example:
Me: I'd like five croissants, please.
Baker: Four croissants, right.
Me: Ah, that's <em>five</em> croissants.
Baker: Got it, six croissants.
Me (raising voice a bit): No, <strong>FIVE</strong>.
Baker: Okee-doke, a dozen on the way.
Me: <strong><em>FIVE</em> friggin'</strong> croissants...ah, forget it.

Real-life example:
<p>Please <strong>do not write down your password</strong>. If you feel
you absolutely <em>must</em> write it down, then <strong><em>DO NOT
WRITE DOWN YOUR PASSWORD</em></strong>. If your password is too hard to
remember without writing it down, then choose another one.</p>



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From: Kynn Bartlett
Date: Fri, Aug 16 2002 9:51AM
Subject: Re: semantic difference between EM and STRONG and when should they be combined
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At 1:02 AM -0400 8/16/02, Tim Luoma wrote:
>I've been using EM and STRONG for awhile, but I want to make sure
>that I'm using them correctly.... actually I'm realizing I'm not
>entirely sure what the proper usage of them is, semantically
>speaking, since they seem quite similar... It almost seems like
>EFFECT vs AFFECT or WHO vs WHOM in English... I know there's a
>difference, but I'm never sure I'm using them correctly.

There's not really a hard and fast rule (despite what some people might
say). <em> is "less strong" and <strong> is "more strong" but apart
from that there are no defined parameters for each. (Effect/affect and
who/whom have very strongly defined rules for use.)

Contrary to popular belief, don't use both if you want something to be
REALLY REALLY strong. Instead, combine them together if and only if you
want to emphasize something within already emphasized text.

--Kynn

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Kynn Bartlett < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > http://kynn.com
Chief Technologist, Idyll Mountain http://idyllmtn.com
Next Book: Teach Yourself CSS in 24 http://cssin24hours.com
Kynn on Web Accessibility ->> http://kynn.com/+sitepoint


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