the term "thru hiker" (spelling)

[DavidNH]

It seems to be universal.. both here and among hikers elsewhere to speak of "thru" hikers rather than "through" hikers. I've even written it as thru hiker myself, even on my resume!

why the unique spelling? I'm wondering if it might not be better to write "through" hiker in writing that would be read by non-hikers (resume, stories to be published in magazines or submitted to a writing contest).

The watermanfund.org has a writing contest for which I am working on an essay and am wondering which spelling of the word is best to use?


Thanks,


DavidNH

[Lone Wolf]

through is proper

[bfayer]

Does not sound improper to me.

From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thru

Definition of THRU

variant of through

[4eyedbuzzard]

English is a living language and evolves new words all the time through common usage. Thru-hiker is vernacular in the sense that it is peculiar to a specific activity and commonly used. Provided you briefly identify that use in everyday hiker speech and writing, you would be correct in using it.

[HikerMom58]

This is a funny thread! Seems someone else had the same question!

If you are entering a writing contest, I would go with through hike.

https://www.facebook.com/PCTAFan/pos...51437594277985

[hikerboy57]

think throughway

sent from a samsung galaxy far far away

[Tuckahoe]

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/edu...w-through-thru

[martinb]

It's lighter without the three extra letters.

[Lone Wolf]

every time i went to springer folks would ask me if i was through hiking and i said hell no, i just started

[hikerboy57]

para espanol,marque dos.

sent from a samsung galaxy far far away

[max patch]

Earl Shaffers book - published by the ATC - is titled : WALKING WITH SPRING the first thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

Thats good enough for me.

[illabelle]

English is a living language and evolves new words all the time through common usage. Thru-hiker is vernacular in the sense that it is peculiar to a specific activity and commonly used. Provided you briefly identify that use in everyday hiker speech and writing, you would be correct in using it.

Agree.
While the proper spelling may be "through", it appears to me that there is a widely held consensus among backpackers to use "thru." Those who read your article are those with an interest in the topic and either are already familiar or need to become familiar with the common usage.

[bfayer]

If you write about your personal vehicle, do you call it a "car" or an "automobile"? I doubt anyone on here would ding you for using car, although if you wish to use proper english, automobile is more correct.

This is like the who, whom discussion. At one time if you mixed them up, it would earn you a circle of red ink. Today even the little brown book says who is appropriate in all but the most formal of writing.

[Mags]

Donuts / Doughnuts
Gray /Grey
Draught / Draft
The numerous towns in New England in -boro at the end vs -borough (Foxboro, Attleboro)

....you get the idea

[4eyedbuzzard]

I would add that virtually every book or article ever written on the subject uses "thru-hike", "thru-hiker", "thru-hiking", etc. ATC uses it pretty much exclusively in publication as well, and as they act in an official capacity, their use further establishes the spelling and usage.

[tiptoe]

David, as a former copy editor, I'd advise choosing whichever term you prefer. If it were my choice, I'd go with "thru hiker" because that's what is commonly used, as far as I can tell. On first use, define the term, and you should be fine. Whichever you choose, use it consistently. A foolish consistency may be the hobgoblin of little minds, but a random inconsistency makes for sloppy writing and distracted reading.

[Damn Yankee]

As with any essay, you can either attack it as if your audience has no clue or gear it towards those who do. I prefer the aforementioned. You may use the first usage as through hike and then mention that among the hiking community, thru-hike is most used and continue the rest of the essay as thru-hike. To hyphenate or not is the other question.

[4eyedbuzzard]

As with any essay, you can either attack it as if your audience has no clue or gear it towards those who do. I prefer the aforementioned. You may use the first usage as through hike and then mention that among the hiking community, thru-hike is most used and continue the rest of the essay as thru-hike. To hyphenate or not is the other question.

In most common use, and by ATC, it's hyphenated.

[Rolls Kanardly]

Will I bask in the glory of being a Thru-hiker differently than a Through-hiker?

Me thinks not. Rolls

[Tuxedo]

I slept with my English teacher to get straight D's and don't know noth'n proper... cept fall'r me some blazes on a thru! or should it be threw