Punctuation question/opinion

[Naola "Sam" Vaughn]

Does anyone hyphenate Bates stamp in these instances:

1. Bates stamp number (i.e., Q. Please look at the Bates stamp number at the bottom of the page.)
2. Bates stamped document (i.e. Q. We were provided this Bates stamped document from your attorney.)
3. Bates stamping (i.e.: When you were doing the Bates stamping, did you happen to notice...
4. Bates stamped (For the record, I have a document that is not Bates stamped, as the others are.)
Thanks

[Lindsay Pinkham]

Here's a couple comments from my punctuation bible, the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition, regarding hyphenating compounds:

"When no ambiguity could result, as in public welfare administration or graduate student housing, hyphenation is not mandatory, though it is quite acceptable and preferred by many writers and editors."

I think "Bates stamp" is a recognized enough phrase that you don't need the hyphen in No. 1.

However, in No. 2, I personally do put a hyphen, just for clarity and to head
off any possible ambiguity.

As for No. 3, the Manual says compounds consisting of a noun plus gerund (e.g. decision making, mountain climbing) are generally not hyphenated in the noun form, but are hyphenated in the adjective form (decision-making policy).

And for No. 4: hyphenated before a noun, otherwise open (a Bates-stamped document, a document that is Bates stamped).

I highly recommend the Chicago Manual of Style. All questions are resolved!

[Rebecca Blasco]

Bates-stamped document is hyphenated because stamped ends in 'ed' and the next word is a noun. I can't remember the precise rule, but that's basically it. I would not hyphenate any of the other ones.

Hope that helps.

[Naola "Sam" Vaughn]

I have never seen it hyphenated either, and my scopist was hyphenating it according to Morson's - plus some; so I wanted to know what everyone else did.

[Rosalie DeLeonardis]

Back when I was a legal secretary in the 1980s I don't remember the attorneys or any secretary ever putting a hypen on Bates stamp, Bates stamped doucment, et cetera.

[Brenda Rogers]

Sam, I'm probably overthinking it, but this was my process. "Tape recording" is a noun, the actual magnetic recording on magnetic tape; "tape-record" is the verb. I was looking at the term in your sentence as a verb rather than a noun, but I get tangled up in those sometimes. I'll go with the majority here: 2 and 4.

[Randy Renier Espinoza]

Hi. I'm new here. I just like to post my opinion. I would hyphenate Numbers 2 and 4. In No. 2, "Bates stamped" is used as a compount verb used as an adjective. In No. 4, I think "Bates stamp" still functions as an adjective, only that it appears after the noun it modifies.

[Naola "Sam" Vaughn]

Bates stamping is an action. You can't just be Batesing, but you can be stamping. I'm trying to think of other two-word verbs, such as tape recording, rear ending, etc.

[Brenda Rogers]

So that takes care of 2 and 4. 3 I'd need to research, but it seems like it should be hyphenated, following the word "the." Bates isn't doing the stamping; it's a unit: the Bates-stamping.

[Jenny Griffin, RMR CRR CCRR CRC]

Morson's Rule 148:

A Bates-stamped exhibit. An exhibit that is Bates-stamped.

That's the only example I can find. Now I really want to know about the other options!

[Brenda Rogers]

What Trina said. I'm inclined to hyphenate 3 also.

BAFRP - Bates stamp