In such a world

Example 1:
"Let's break down Transfers into component parts:"

Example 2:
"Here's a breakdown of Transfers into component parts:"

For a post on my econ blog, I revised the first example to eliminate the "let's" because I think "let's" is creepy. But in the process, the words "break down" changed to one word.

In the first example we're doing something. We're breaking down something. So I think "break down" is a verb.

In the second example we're looking at something. We're looking at a thing, a breakdown. Since the breakdown is a thing, I'm thinking "breakdown" is a noun.

As a noun, it's one word. As a verb, it's two words.

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At work, when we do a "big picture" drawing we call it a "layout". A layout is a particular kind of drawing. A drawing is a thing. So "layout" is a thing, a noun. One word.

When the guys in the shop start to build something, their first step is to grab some boards and lay them out in the workspace. They "lay out" the boards. It's a verb, and it's two words.

Why? I don't know why. But I know it is correct to say "Lay out the boards from the left end" (or, from wherever). And I know it's illiterate to say "Layout the boards from the left end".

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When the economy goes bad, illiterate people are more often in charge. Oh, it's not because illiterate people are in charge that the economy goes bad. No. But when the economy goes bad, people have to focus more on money to do well. In such a world, literate people, apparently, have the wrong focus.

That's why they call it a "dark" age.

"Both this and also that"

"Both this and that".

"This and that".