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Gradient well-formedness is a problem that arises in the analysis of data in generative linguistics, in which a linguistic entity is neither completely grammatical nor completely ungrammatical. A native speaker may judge a word, phrase or pronunciation as "not quite right" or "almost there," rather than dismissing it as completely unacceptable ...
These expressions are normally hyphenated. Note that the hyphenation of an expression is subject to its context (see hyphen and MOS:HYPHEN). above-mentioned; all-inclusive; anti-inflammatory; award-winning; back-to-back; case-insensitive; case-sensitive; clear-headed; co-op (to distinguish from coop) cross-reference; day-to-day; de-emphasize ...
A hyphen is not a dash. Hyphens are used within words or to join words, but not in punctuating the parts of a sentence. Use an en dash (–) with before, and a space after – or use an em dash (—) without spaces (see Wikipedia:How to make dashes). Avoid using two hyphens (--) to make a dash, and avoid using a hyphen as a minus sign.
In Kjoon's link "Golf ball–sized" is the recommended one-mark form, as the en-dash shows that a hyphen was dropped. But by using two hyphens, you're implying that golf modifies size rather than ball, which is just as wrong. Thus the conundrum. In any case, I see a single hyphen/dash much more frequently than two.
Those with longer modifiers may originally be hyphenated, but as they became established, they became solid, e.g. overhang (English origin) counterattack (Latin origin) There was a tendency in the 18th century to use hyphens excessively, that is, to hyphenate all previously established solid compound verbs.
There is some confusion over whether these prefixes should be hyphenated and/or in upper case. In the case of e-mail, it was originally hyphenated and lowercase in general usage, but the hyphen is no longer common. [9] In 1999, Michael Quinion attributed the forms "email", "E-mail" and "Email" to uncertainty on the parts of newer Internet users ...
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Given that double hyphens still seem to be a valid necessity when writing on Wikipedia (and not using Alt+whatever to generate an en dash), and that this "approximation" has been around and in use for decades, it is my opinion that the manual should be changed to not actively discourage the use of double hyphens.