Punctuation inside Quotes

Question

I understand that a declarative sentence containing a declarative quote would look something like
Word word word "word word word."
But what about in other cases, where the sentence and the quote inside it have differerent punctuation? What are the rules governing these situations?

Usenet · Accepted Answer

On 20 Aug 2003 09:37:51 -0700, AnandVishy (Email Removed) wrote, in part:
[nq:1]I understand that a declarative sentence containing a declarative quote would look something like Word word word "word word word." But what about in other cases, where the sentence and the quote inside it have differerent punctuation? What are the rules governing these situations?[/nq]
I don't know, but I can tell you what I (American) do.

I asked, "Where did he go?".
I said, "Nowhere!".
I wondered "Why?", and proceeded after him.
Did you also ask "Whither?"?
No, I asked, "Where'd he come from?"!
The answer "Nowhere!" astounded me.
It "astounded you"?
The word 'scat', which is fairly new, means 'shoo'. N.B: Many write this last sentence thusly (but I don't): The word 'scat,' which is fairly new, means 'shoo.' Otoh, I think everyone would write as I do:
Brought to you by the letter 'K'!
Didn't Melville write, "Call me Ishmael."?
Or:
Didn't Melville write, "Call me Ishmael"?
the former only if I want to emphasize that it's a sentence, the latter if I don't particularly wish to.
"She is the fairies' midwife," and works nights.
It "comes in shape no bigger than an agate-stone", and weighs much less.
The former, because the comma is in the original, the latter because it's not. But I'd write:
"She is the fairies' midwife" and stablegroom.
because a comma is not appropriate
That reminds me. If I quote a whole sentence midsentence, as I just did, I'll often set it off, as I just did. If, for whatever reason, I'm not setting it off, I'd probably write that last sentence as: But I'd write, "'She is the fairies' midwife' and stablegroom", because a comma is not appropriate.
Or:
But I'd write: "'She is the fairies' midwife' and stablegroom." because a comma is not appropriate.
At least I think* that that's what I'd do. See my actual writings for what I *do do. :-)
Best,
Michael Hamm
BA scl Math, PBK, NYU
http://www.math.wustl.edu/~msh210/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I understand that a declarative sentence containing a declarative quote ... have differerent punctuation? What are the rules governing these situations?[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't know,[/nq]
Well, we agree about something

The convention is that question marks and exclamation points go in the logical spot: Outside the quotation marks if the sentence is a question or exclamation, inside the quotation marks only if the sentence is not a question (or exclamation) but is quoting one. Use just one sentence-ending punctuation mark per sentence, except for just cause shown.
I didn't like it when they all screamed "bombs away!"

I'm going to scream if I hear him whisper "kiss me"!

Malcolm X had the courage to ask the younger generation of American blacks, "What did we do, who preceded you?"
Who said, "Fame means when your computer modem is broken, the repair guy comes out to your house a little faster"?
If there are two different punctuation marks needed, you have to choose one:
Wasn't it Malcolm X who declared, "Why, that's the most hypocritical government since the world began!"
You can put a period inside or outside. The American standard style says that inside is always correct, so a lot of people do that and don't worry about it. But some sentences are still better wirth the period outside the quotes.
Example: I don't know what he means by "alternative gender".
Mason Barge
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee." Abraham Lincoln

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I understand that a declarative sentence containing a declarative quote would look something like Word word word "word word word." But what about in other cases, where the sentence and the quote inside it have differerent punctuation? What are the rules governing these situations?[/nq]
I've chosen an easy way of giving you a comprehensive answer I've nicked it from somewhere else. Note that this describes American usage; there may be differences in British practice.
BEGIN QUOTE:
Occasionally ? very occasionally, we hope ? we come across a sentence that seems to demand one kind of punctuation mark within quotation marks and another kind of punctuation mark outside the quotation marks. A kind of pecking order of punctuation marks takes over: other marks are stronger than a period and an exclamation mark is usually stronger than a question mark. If a statement ends in a quoted question, allow the question mark within the quotation marks suffice to end the sentence.

Malcolm X had the courage to ask the younger generation of American blacks, "What did we do, who preceded you?"
On the other hand, if a question ends with a quoted statement that is not a question, the question mark will go outside the closing quotation mark.

Who said, "Fame means when your computer modem is broken, the repair guy comes out to your house a little faster"?
If a question ends with a quotation containing an exclamation mark, the exclamation mark will supersede the question and suffice to end the sentence.

Wasn't it Malcolm X who declared, "Why, that's the most hypocritical government since the world began!"
A single question mark will suffice to end a quoted question within a question:

"Didn't he ask, 'What did we do, who preceded you?'" queried Johnson.

Authority for this section: New York Public Library Writer's Guide to Style and Usage HarperCollins: New York. 1994. 277. Cited with permission, examples our own.

END QUOTE
Copied from:
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/quotation.htm

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I understand that a declarative sentence containing a declarative quote ... have differerent punctuation? What are the rules governing these situations?[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't know, but I can tell you what I (American) do.[/nq]
For the sake of the poster, I feel compelled to point out that the practices you describe here are non-standard, and are not followed in professional editing and publishing.

That's no reason for you to change, though. Just be aware that, were you to submit your work to a publisher who followed industry standards, your sentences would be changed.

Michael West
Melbourne, Australia
(Expat yank)

Punctuation inside Quotes

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