Bit of a male ring to that. . .can it go softer? like:
"Shameless Maclirt, she is!"
"Ah, yer jealous is what -- where's the harm in a lass Maclirting in a Starbucks?"

Gavin Anderson above, at Sept. 8. 2007, has nailed it. The sticky m dash (no spaces surrounding) makes a solid, unwieldy character string out of two words and can wreak havoc on either rag right or justified line lengths. A floating m dash is oddly discontinuous looking; the floating n, with a space on either side, is about right. It's all got to do with what announces itself clearly, first, and then pulls the eye forward.

I notice Gavin Anderson wears a tam o'shanter, in addition to his typographical sagacity. Is he married? or if so, does he have a brother?