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Post by MooseTheMoose on Jun 7, 2011 4:48:01 GMT -5
When you are quoting someone, does the final fullstop fall inside or outside of the quotation marks? Also, is the quote re-capitalised?
Should it be
Bertie Wooster has lent out Jeeves as a butler on several occasions, and notes: "If the call comes, he can buttle with the best of them."
Or should it appear as
Bertie Wooster has lent out Jeeves as a butler on several occasions, and notes: "if the call comes, he can buttle with the best of them".
And out of interest - do you prefer single or double quotation marks?
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Post by embonpoint on Jun 7, 2011 8:11:21 GMT -5
I would capitalise the I, but put the full-stop outside. Though, I suspect there will be debate about it because I know US and British English differs on this and then all the individual variety within that.
As for single or double, I was once told that the quotes should be single, but then if the person speaking quotes somebody else, then they should be double ('I was talking to her and she said "Don't do that", so I didn't,' she said.), but I prefer it the other way around. I think the main speaker/quote should have double, and then the quote within a quote should be single. So, I tend to use double.
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 9:41:31 GMT -5
All punctuation falls inside the quotation marks, I believe. That's how I've always been taught, anyway.
That being said, if you're quoting it from a passage of a book, novel, play, etc. for MLA format, you would have closing quotation marks then (Citation Here) and then the period after the closing parentheses.
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Post by cmthecla on Jun 7, 2011 13:15:21 GMT -5
It depends on where you live. In the United States, punctuation goes inside the quotation marks (unless you are citing a source, like Dodger Thirteen mentioned). However, in British English it goes outside the quotation marks.
Also, (if you're in the US), not all punctuation goes inside the quotation marks. I'm fairly sure that question marks and exclamation points can go outside. For instance, if the phrase within the quotation marks is a question, the question mark would go inside, but if the entire sentence makes up the question and there happens to be something in quotation marks at the end, then the question mark goes outside. (I'm not sure if that made sense, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong.)
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rayyychul
Armadillo
On ne voit bien qu'avec le c?ur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.
Posts: 159
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Post by rayyychul on Jun 7, 2011 15:28:38 GMT -5
Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks (even single quotes). The quote is always recapitalised, as it's the beginning of another sentence.
He muttered, "She told me, 'Go away.'"
He said, "I enjoyed that movie."
The orator mis-pronounced "youth," "gradient," and "violently."
You're correct! For question marks (and exclamation points), you need to put it where it would logically go. If the question falls within the quotation, it goes inside the quotation marks:
"Do you want pie?" she asked.
If question does not fall within the quotation, then it goes outside the quotation marks:
What do you think of the saying, "If you love somebody, set them free"?
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 18:24:30 GMT -5
For question marks (and exclamation points), you need to put it where it would logically go. If the question falls within the quotation, it goes inside the quotation marks: "Do you want pie?" she asked.If question does not fall within the quotation, then it goes outside the quotation marks: What do you think of the saying, "If you love somebody, set them free"?This always seemed dumb to me, though I can understand why it's necessary. Still...one or the other, man...one or the other. |
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Post by embonpoint on Jun 7, 2011 18:32:57 GMT -5
For question marks (and exclamation points), you need to put it where it would logically go. If the question falls within the quotation, it goes inside the quotation marks: "Do you want pie?" she asked.If question does not fall within the quotation, then it goes outside the quotation marks: What do you think of the saying, "If you love somebody, set them free"?This always seemed dumb to me, though I can understand why it's necessary. Still...one or the other, man...one or the other. What seems dumb? |
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 18:33:37 GMT -5
This always seemed dumb to me, though I can understand why it's necessary. Still...one or the other, man...one or the other. What seems dumb? Punctuation inside or outside the quotation marks based on whether or not it is a part of the initial quote. |
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Post by embonpoint on Jun 7, 2011 18:36:52 GMT -5
Punctuation inside or outside the quotation marks based on whether or not it is a part of the initial quote. Oh. In what way? It seems like the most logical way of approaching it, to me; I don't understand what's dumb about it. |
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 18:37:40 GMT -5
Punctuation inside or outside the quotation marks based on whether or not it is a part of the initial quote. Oh. In what way? It seems like the most logical way of approaching it, to me; I don't understand what's dumb about it. Eh, it's just one more thing for me to remember in the sense of "this is this except when it's that." I hate that. Then again, I hate the Oxford comma, so...yeah. |
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Post by embonpoint on Jun 7, 2011 18:40:30 GMT -5
Eh, it's just one more thing for me to remember in the sense of "this is this except when it's that." I hate that. Then again, I hate the Oxford comma, so...yeah. Oh ok, fair dos; I do love the Oxford comma x) |
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Post by moosethemoose on Jun 7, 2011 20:02:06 GMT -5
Thanks all, very helpful.
Some might even say 'Fantastic!'
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