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Usenet Posted 20 years ago
Usage
Do commas go inside or outside of quotes?
My associate and I are mechanical engineers. We are jointly writing an engineering technical report for our company. With respect to proper comma location, that is, inside or outside of quotes, which of the following excerpts from our report is correct (more correct)?
1) This phenomenon, known as "slugging", is analogous to "hydro-locking",or "water ingestion" in internal combustion engines.
2) This phenomenon, known as "slugging," is analogous to "hydro-locking,"or "water ingestion" in internal combustion engines.
I have $5 riding on this please tell me what I want to hear.
Thanks,
Nate
Dallas TX USA
1) This phenomenon, known as "slugging", is analogous to "hydro-locking",or "water ingestion" in internal combustion engines.
2) This phenomenon, known as "slugging," is analogous to "hydro-locking,"or "water ingestion" in internal combustion engines.
I have $5 riding on this please tell me what I want to hear.
Thanks,
Nate
Dallas TX USA
Top answer
[nq:1]My associate and I are mechanical engineers. We are jointly writing an engineering technical report for our company. With respect ...
- [nq:1]My associate and I are mechanical engineers.
- We are jointly writing an engineering technical report for our company.
- With respect ...
- engines.
- I have $5 riding on this please tell me what I want to hear.
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29 Answers
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[nq:1]My associate and I are mechanical engineers. We are jointly writing an engineering technical report for our company. With respect ... engines. I have $5 riding on this please tell me what I want to hear. Thanks, Nate Dallas TX USA[/nq]
There's no definitive answer to give you.
See the FAQ for alt.usage.english (a different group, but the closest thing this group has to a FAQ) at
There's no definitive answer to give you.
See the FAQ for alt.usage.english (a different group, but the closest thing this group has to a FAQ) at
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[nq:1]With respect to proper comma location, that is, inside or outside of quotes, which of the following excerpts from our ... internal combustion engines. 2) This phenomenon, known as "slugging," is analogous to "hydro-locking," or "water ingestion" in internal combustion engines.[/nq]
I have been torn over this for some time. I was taught to put the comma inside the quotes and have habitual
I have been torn over this for some time. I was taught to put the comma inside the quotes and have habitual
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[nq:1]My associate and I are mechanical engineers. We are jointly writing an engineering technical report for our company. With respect ... "water ingestion" in internal combustion engines. I have $5 riding on this please tell me what I want to hear.[/nq]
In order to settle that bet you'll have to find out what style guide your company follows, or agree on one as an authority for yourselves.
In order to settle that bet you'll have to find out what style guide your company follows, or agree on one as an authority for yourselves.
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[nq:1]With respect to proper comma location, that is, inside or outside of quotes, which of the following excerpts from our report is correct (more correct)?[/nq]
That's the kind of question that will get you no clear answer, here. Which you prefer depends more on where and when you went to school than on any notion of "right" or "wrong".
Notice that I put the full stop outside the closing
That's the kind of question that will get you no clear answer, here. Which you prefer depends more on where and when you went to school than on any notion of "right" or "wrong".
Notice that I put the full stop outside the closing
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[nq:1]However, the sentences you tease us with do not contain reported speech.[/nq]
[nq:2]1) This phenomenon, known as "slugging", is analogous to "hydro-locking", ... analogous to "hydro-locking," or "water ingestion" in internal combustion engines.[/nq]
[nq:1]These are inverted commas of a different kind. There is no comma in the name of the pheneomenon of slugging ... in your text belon
[nq:2]1) This phenomenon, known as "slugging", is analogous to "hydro-locking", ... analogous to "hydro-locking," or "water ingestion" in internal combustion engines.[/nq]
[nq:1]These are inverted commas of a different kind. There is no comma in the name of the pheneomenon of slugging ... in your text belon
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[nq:1]which of the following excerpts from our report is correct (more correct)? I have $5 riding on this please tell me what I want to hear.[/nq]
Just say you were right. $5 is five dollars.
Just say you were right. $5 is five dollars.
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[nq:1]The style I was taught would lead to: "Run faster," John cried, "he'll catch you!" which is all very well ... that is being reported, which might appear in a play or film script as: John: Run faster, he'll catch you![/nq]
Script-writers don't usually profess a literary style, but something stronger than a comma is normally required. In prose, with the narration removed from the middle of
Script-writers don't usually profess a literary style, but something stronger than a comma is normally required. In prose, with the narration removed from the middle of
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I use it reluctantly, as the term generally or should I say "traditionally"? used for that punctuation practice. It would be nice if there were a clearer term for it (as, for example, "negative concord" is clearer than "the double negative" for describing a particular type of nonstandard negation).
[nq:1]Anyway. These are all published works, which means the authors and editors probably had to
[nq:1]Anyway. These are all published works, which means the authors and editors probably had to
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[nq:2]Keep in mind that I did not use the term "logical punctuation".[/nq]
[nq:1]I use it reluctantly, as the term generally or should I say "traditionally"? used for that punctuation practice. It would be ... it (as, for example, "negative concord" is clearer than "the double negative" for describing a particular type of nonstandard negation).[/nq]
Maybe we should try and introduce a less
[nq:1]I use it reluctantly, as the term generally or should I say "traditionally"? used for that punctuation practice. It would be ... it (as, for example, "negative concord" is clearer than "the double negative" for describing a particular type of nonstandard negation).[/nq]
Maybe we should try and introduce a less
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[nq:1]My associate and I are mechanical engineers. We are jointly writing an engineering technical report for our company. With respect ... engines. I have $5 riding on this please tell me what I want to hear. Thanks, Nate Dallas TX USA[/nq]
In America, inside. But in instruction manuals, I always see periods and commas on the outside. I theorize that they don't want to confuse readers by havi
In America, inside. But in instruction manuals, I always see periods and commas on the outside. I theorize that they don't want to confuse readers by havi
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