Hyphens and pronoun: Markov chain model vs Markov-chain model

Question

Trying to figure out hyphen rules, and they mostly seem easy to follow. However, the main thing throwing me off is whether or not to hyphenate two words preceding a noun when one of the words is a pronoun. Here's exact example I'm trying to resolve:

Markov chain model

Markov-chain model

In other contexts, it's common for people to refer to Markov chains like this sentence does (sans the 'model'). Just noting in case it helps with interpretation.

Google ngram viewer shows the later is much rarer, so just based on common practice that might be the best choice, but excluding that consideration, is the first technically correct?

Hyphens are always optional and local custom will vary. There are no consistent rules for hyphenation, so just do what seems sensible to you. — John Lawler, Aug 13 '21 at 15:32
Does this answer your question? Is it correct to hyphenate with compound premodifiers? If so, where is the hyphen placed? See Doug's answer, and the comments attaching. Here, it is only necessary to hyphenate the compound premodifier Markov chain if there is a realistic possibility that someone likely to be reading material in such a domain is going to read this as a chain model of the Markov variety. // This is not to say that Markov-chain model is wrong. — Edwin Ashworth, Aug 13 '21 at 16:35

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 13 '21 at 03:56

From what I understand, compound adjectives before nouns and compound adverbs before verbs or adjectives need to be hyphenated. In your example, it looks like "Markov chain" is acting as an adjective to "model", but it is not. It is the name of a model. Just like you would not say "Burj-Khalifa building" or "Long-Island bridge", you should not hyphenate "Markov chain model". Nor should you hyphenate "Malthusian growth model" or "travelling salesman problem", etc.

You might have gone through this already in your quest for hyphen rules, but if you have not, it might help. :)

Hyphens and pronoun: Markov chain model vs Markov-chain model

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