Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

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NewHopeR

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The space behind "ground" is indispensable.

Context:

CHINA NEEDS TO BUILD AN INTEGRATED NETWORK TO MONITOR SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER.
 

charliedeut

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Re: Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

Hi,

As fas as I can see, no, it isn't.

charliedeut

PS: We're not deaf, so quit shouting, please.
 
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Tdol

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Re: Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

The space behind "ground" is indispensable.

It isn't and would be wrong IMO.
 

NewHopeR

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Re: Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

It isn't and would be wrong IMO.


So what does "surface" mean here? Can it mean "surface water"? The author intends to express "surface water and ground water." To make it concise, we take out the first water.
 

charliedeut

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Re: Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

So what does "surface" mean here? Can it mean "surface water"? :tick: The author intends to express "surface water and ground water." To make it concise, we take out the first water.

Yes indeed. In order to avoid repetition, "water" is only mentioned once.
 

NewHopeR

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Re: Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

Hi,

As fas as I can see, no, it isn't.

charliedeut

PS: We're not deaf, so quit shouting, please.

That was a direct copy from Nature Magazine. So cool it. For no one's shouting.
 

Tdol

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Re: Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

For no one's shouting.

Writing in upper case, which is difficult to read and often used by people who are angry is known as shouting.
 

Barb_D

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Re: Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

It depends on style guides. In our company, which deals with water in the many places you find it, we make stormwater, groundwater, and wastewater one word (the spell checker doesn't like stormwater and wastewater), but surface water remains an open compound. We've never lost a contract because someone didn't like the way we wrote it.

I don't find it redundant to repeat "water" in this context. Surface water is lakes, streams, etc. Groundwater is underground, in aquifers or simply permeating the ground.
 

BobK

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Re: Should "SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER" be "SURFACE AND GROUND WATER"?

Writing in upper case, which is difficult to read and often used by people who are angry is known as shouting.
:up: And when it's bold it looks really angry.

b
 
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