Why not "-k -word" or "-k word-play"? If -k has suboptions, you might 
need to escape the first one ("-k \-word" perhaps? Then "\-word" would 
be "-k \\-word" or "-k \\\-word"). You could also have it quoted («-k 
"-word"») and *NIX has "--" ("-k -- -word").  And if you're doing it in 
the style of getopt(), "-k -word" should be fine, since "-k" always has 
an argument (right?).

On 8/2/2010 7:23 PM, Daniel Bowman wrote:
> All,
>
> First, the question:
>
> Does anyone use the minus sign "-" as a symbol in his or her conlang?
>
> Second, why I am asking:
>
> Some time ago I asked for suggestions on a good programming language to use
> in order to build an interactive dictionary for my conlang.  This dictionary
> will eventually be released to our community for others to use.
>
> I have settled on using Python, since I am comfortable enough in it to
> achieve what I want.  I just started writing a draft of the search engine.
> The search engine will be an interactive shell in which the user will type
> commands.  For example:
>
> -k love
>
> would search the dictionary for the English keyword "love"
>
> -w zakayro
>
> would search the dictionary for the conlang word "zakayro"
>
> The program will differentiate options (those statements starting with "-")
> from searches or other commands (those statements not starting with "-").
> This will work fine UNLESS someone has a conlang in which they use the "-"
> symbol...if that were the case, the program would interpret words in this
> conlang as being search options as opposed to actual search criteria.
>
> Here's an example of how the program works so far.  I'm searching my Angosey
> dictionary for words associated with the English word "illusion".  The "-k"
> option denotes KEYWORD, that is, the English word I am trying to find a
> match for.  I can also search "-w" (Angosey word) and "-g" (grammar).  The
> dictionary returns three results, and gives information on each.
>
>>> -k illusion
> illusion
> WORD:
> adra
>
> DEFINITION:
> 1.  To appear as.  2.  To create an illusion with the intent to deceive.  3.
>   To put on the appearance of love. 4. To love.
>
> COMMENTS:
> Came into existence during the transition between Althalethian Larath and
> Althalethian Esyevath
> ***********************
> WORD:
> al dantayethreya
>
> DEFINITION:
> 1.  The feeling of dreaming while awake, or an experience of lucid dreaming.
>
> COMMENTS:
> Used a lot during Junior year
> ***********************
> WORD:
> al edreth
>
> DEFINITION:
> 1.  An illusion made specifically to deceive.
>
> COMMENTS:
>
> ***********************
>
> Any other comments or critiques at this preliminary stage are most welcome.
>   I plan on releasing the finished product to the CONLANG list whenever it's
> done.