Ellipsis without brackets — fine tuning

Question

Very much related to this question and its answer, I would like to ask the following:

If I want to indicate omissions in a quotation not by using Text [...] more text. but instead by using Text ... more text. only (without brackets), is there anything I should keep in mind? Or is there something like the \textelp{} macro from csquotes fro bracket-less ellipseis?

So far I used Text \dots\ more text. and I thought, it looked fine. Is there anything unfavourable about it, which I missed and overlooked? Kerning, spacing, you have it?

Answer 1

You should be aware of the spacing issue. I suggest using \dots in combination with the package ellipsis, because that gives you better control over spacing.

ellipsis makes it easy to fine tune spacing, and takes care of several other spacing issues, for example ellipsis in combination with another full stop.

In case you want to fine tune ellipsis, you change the distance between the dots simply by the command:

\renewcommand{\ellipsisgap}{0.1em} %  or another value

Also, by adding the option [xspace], i.e.

\usepackage[xspace]{ellipsis}

terminating the \dots command by \ is not necessary (but even xspace makes errors, as documented in the manual). If you use ellipsis, remember to load it after hyperref.

And MWE (the font is Palantino):

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

\usepackage[sc]{mathpazo}

\usepackage[xspace]{ellipsis}
\begin{document}

This is a test.

This is a test og \dots and dots.

This is a test og \dots\ and dots.

This is a test og \dots. and dots.

This is a test og \dots\ . and dots.


\end{document}

The result:

Answer 2

I guess it depends on whom you ask, (please, anyone correct me if I'm wrong!) and it will also depend on the context and other punctuation.

If used mid-sentence, I personally would tend to use a bit less to no space, and I'd definitely try to balance the space before and after the ellipsis, so I'd probably use Text \dots\unkern\ more text. (1) or Text\,\dots\unkern\,more text. (2).

(With CM, I get unbalanced kerning per default, thus the solution above. For other typefaces there might be no difference between (1) and your example.)

But Robert Bringhurst or the Chicago Manual of Style would probably tell you something different ;)