Ultra High vs Ultrahigh vs Ultra-High

In translating the term "長高負荷容量" [choukoufukayouryou/ちょうこうふかようりょう], my first impulse was to use "ultrahigh load-carrying capacity" or "ultrahigh load capacity." In determining the frequency that "load-carrying capacity" versus "load capacity" is used among other writers in my client's industry, I inadvertently noticed the use of "ultra high" or "ultra-high" as opposed to "ultrahigh." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language clearly indicates that "ultrahigh" is an adjective that means "Exceedingly high" as in, "an ultrahigh vacuum."

It is true that "ultra" itself can be used independently as an adjective to mean "extreme," but this nuance leans toward usage in compounds like "ultra-conservative" (extremely conservative values) or "ultra-atomic" (here, the closed compound would be difficult to read).

The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage dictates that compounds using "ultra" be closed unless the prefix precedes an "a" or an uppercase letter. The Chicago Manual of Style also supports the trend towards closed compounds precluding occasional exceptions.

My impression is that in the field of mechanical engineering, writers tend to be somewhat less progressive in adopting more modern writing styles or simply may not be aware of current trends, such as with the use of "ultra" in closed compounds. For the sake brevity and clarity, I have decided that I will use "ultrahigh" unless the client specifically requests that I revert to the less-progressive "ultra high" or "ultra-high."

---

The IDCS英会話 website by 池谷大星英語編集事務所 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright Ⓒ 2014 IDCS英会話
神奈川県小田原市栢山
All Rights Reserved.