[TASK] Write dashes as dashes

Documentation/Advanced/CommitMessages.rst

@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ issue, mention it too:
 Format
 ======
 
-*   Prefix the summary line with the type of change -- `[TASK]`,
-    `[BUGFIX]` or `[FEATURE]` -- followed by a short, imperative summary.
+*   Prefix the summary line with the type of change — `[TASK]`,
+    `[BUGFIX]` or `[FEATURE]` — followed by a short, imperative summary.
 
 *   Explain *why* the change is needed in the body. The diff already shows
     what changed; the body should cover what the diff cannot.
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ Format
     `Releases: main, 14.3` to note which versions your change applies to
     (see :ref:`review policy <review-policy>`). Backporting to those
     branches then happens automatically (see :ref:`backport changes
-    <backport-changes>`) -- manual backporting is only needed if the
+    <backport-changes>`) — manual backporting is only needed if the
     automatic backport hits a conflict or the content needs to be
     adjusted per version.

Documentation/Howto/EditOnGithub.rst

@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ Workflow #1: "Edit on GitHub"
 8.  Finalize your changes:
 
     When you are ready, scroll down to the bottom of the page. Add
-    a commit message that outlines the changes you have made -- see
-    :ref:`commit message conventions <commit-messages>` -- and click
+    a commit message that outlines the changes you have made — see
+    :ref:`commit message conventions <commit-messages>` — and click
     "Propose file change"
 
     ..  image:: /_Images/github-propose-file-changes.png

Documentation/Reference/ReStructuredText/Content/SpecialCharacters.rst

@@ -17,6 +17,23 @@ utf-8.
 Keep in mind that while you CAN use any Unicode character not all of them will
 be displayed. In general fonts contain glyphs for common characters only.
 
+..  _reference-re-structured-text-content-special-characters-dashes:
+
+Dashes are not translated
+=========================
+
+Write a dash as the character it is, `—` for an em dash or `–` for an en
+dash. The rendering passes `--` and `---` through as the hyphens you typed.
+Sphinx replaces them, because its `smartquotes
+<https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#confval-smartquotes>`__
+setting is on by default and educates dashes along with quotes and ellipses.
+This rendering has no such transform, so both reach the reader unchanged.
+
+..  code-block:: rst
+
+    Prefix the summary line with the type of change — `[TASK]`, `[BUGFIX]`
+    or `[FEATURE]` — followed by a short, imperative summary.
+
 ..  _reference-re-structured-text-content-special-characters-lists-characters:
 
 Some lists of characters

Documentation/Reference/ReStructuredText/InlineMarkup/TextRoles/Index.rst

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ documentation that are not already covered on their own page.
         `\\Vendor\\Ext\\MyClass`     renders as: \Vendor\Ext\MyClass
 
     Double every backslash you want to keep. :rst:`:file:`, :rst:`:php:`
-    and :rst:`:php-short:` are exceptions -- they take the text verbatim,
+    and :rst:`:php-short:` are exceptions — they take the text verbatim,
     so a single backslash there already prints as-is. If you are not
     sure how a given role handles it, check the rendered output rather
     than assuming.