Quote:
Originally Posted by rhadin
Gmw gave you the answer but omitted one important aspect: the use for each dash  . [...] |
But I did, I did.
I linked to it in Wikipedia rather than try to reproduce the various characters here.
I just realised that the link I posted last time jumped half-way down the article.
This link takes you to the top of the article where there is the neat summary I mentioned in my previous post.
In particular, that link shows you that it is permitted in some styles/guidelines to use en-dashes to set off text, but they are spaced. So your example two can legitimately use en-dash if written like this:
"It is better -- probably for everyone -- that he not be telephoned."
Which, incidentally, is how I prefer to set off text (when using dashes). I personally never liked the em-dash (without spaces) variation. The link I supplied gives more details about the various styles/guidelines that prefer the different forms.