**Synopsis and concrete practices**


Everyone is thanked for their comments, and in view of the diversity of views expressed, I have converted this question to a community wiki.


Here is a working synopsis:


* With regard to the alternative hyphenations `Kron-ecker` versus `Kro-necker`, the "advanced search" feature of *Google Books* establishes that both hyphenations are in common usage.
* The rules of German-language orthography are sufficiently intricate, and the etymology of the name `Kronecker` is sufficiently obscure, as to provide well-founded justifications for either hyphenation.
* No one has come forth with a set of standardized hyphenations for mathematician's names that is in-use by a major mathematical journal or publishing house.


In light of the preceding findings, one reasonable practice is the following:


* Include in the LaTex preamble a list of problematic mathematician's names that (by default) forbids their hyphenation (this was Theo Johnson-Freyd's excellent recommendation):


      `\hyphenation{Kronecker Riemann Spivak}`
* Upon the (rare) occasions that acceptable typography requires hyphenation of one of these names, then in the body of the manuscript optional hyphens can be inserted in the LaTeX file: 


      `\LaTeX optionally hyphenates Kron\-ecker Rie\-mann Spi\-vak`
* In placing optional hyphens, lend equal weight to common usage and correct orthography (recognizing that these can be ambiguous upon occasion).
* Search methods help resolve problematic cases, for example the hyphenation `Rie-mann` is overwhelmingly preferred over `Riem-ann`.


And finally, we should all remember to be grateful to Donald Knuth, who gave us the wonderful tools that allow us to balance good orthography with good typography. 




---


**Original question**


The question asked is:



> 
> Kro-necker versus Kron-ecker: which hyphenation is preferred?
> 
> 
> 


Equivalently, in TeX/LaTeX should one include "`\hyphenation{Kron-ecker}`" in the preamble? Or should one simply accept the default TeX/LaTeX hyphenation "Kro-necker"?


A search of the [tex-hyphen archives](http://tug.org/pipermail/tex-hyphen/) provides neither guidance specifically on "Kronecker," nor general guidance on preferred hyphenations for mathematician's names (except to show that there is a community of people who care passionately about these lexicographical issues).


Therefore, instantly "accepted" will be any MathOverflow answer that provides a standardized "`\hyphenation{...}`" file (including mathematician's names) from any respected mathematical journal or publishing house.


Although this question is perhaps not the most important ever asked on *MatherOverflow*, such a preferred-hyphenation list would be welcomed by me, and (IMHO) by many mathematical writers. For example, are there other problematic mathematical names?


Recognizing too that some folks are relatively indifferent to mathematical hyphenation, these folks can provide instruction and amusement by offering opinions on the question "Why has the usage of 'Kronecker' been increasing inexorably for the past fifty years?"


[Google NGRAMS of Kronecker http://faculty.washington.edu/sidles/ENC\_2011/Kronecker\_usage.png](http://faculty.washington.edu/sidles/ENC_2011/Kronecker_usage.png)


As Mark Twain might have put it:



> 
> Any [calm person, who is not blind or idiotic](http://books.google.com/books?id=Lh0RAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA136), can see that in the year 52,011 or thereabouts, every book produced by human civilization will consist solely of the sentence "Kronecker, Kronecker, Kronecker,…"  
>   
> There is something fascinating about Google's *Books Ngram Viewer*. One gets such wholesale returns of conjectures, out of such a trifling investment of fact.
> 
> 
> 


However, any opinions offered in this regard, no matter how erudite or amusingly stated, will *not* be considered as answers.



Kro-necker versus Kron-ecker: which hyphenation is preferred?
Kron-ecker, I would think, being a native speaker of German. Kron(e) is crown, Ecker alone is a not totally uncommon german name. 


