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The long dash — this one — that interrupts a sentence.
Also known as: Long dash, Mutton, Long line in the middle of a sentence
A dash as wide as the type size. It marks a break in thought or sets off a parenthetical remark, and whether it takes spaces around it is the clearest case in typography of two authorities being confidently opposed.
Also used to mark an interruption in reported speech and, doubled or tripled, to stand for an omitted name or word in older printing.
A horizontal stroke one em wide — as wide as the point size of the type — used to mark an abrupt break in a sentence or to enclose a parenthetical remark.
American practice sets it closed up to the words either side; British practice generally prefers a spaced en dash for the same job. Both are correct within their tradition and neither is a typing error.
The commonest 'mistake' reported in either direction is the other country's rule.
United States and United Kingdom
A single horizontal stroke on the mid-line of the text, about as wide as a capital letter is tall.
One is twice the width of the other and they do different jobs.