Quotation Marks, Parentheses, and Periods

Question

I'm not sure how to deal with a closing sentence period when translating dialog material from another language. For example:
He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos" ("I have to tie my shoes"). He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos" ("I have to tie my shoes.")

The Chicago Manual of Style is unclear on the point. Also, what to do if there is a closing sentence punctuation mark already in the quotations, like a exclamation point:
He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos!" ("I have to tie my shoes!"). He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos!" ("I have to tie my shoes!")

Assume here that the original spanish sentence ends with the word "zapatos."

Matt

Usenet · Accepted Answer

In our last episode,
(Email Removed), the lovely and talented DOYLE60 broadcast on alt.usage.english:
[nq:1]I'm not sure how to deal with a closing sentence period when translating dialog material from another language. For example: ... que atar los zapatos" ("I have to tie my shoes.") The Chicago Manual of Style is unclear on the point.[/nq]
Really?
The standard American punctuation rule is that periods and commas go within the quotation marks regardless of whether they belong to the quoted material or not. But in this case, the Spanish utterance is a complete sentence in itself, so the period belongs with the quotation marks logically as well.

Some allowance has been made for computer instruction manuals and the like where there might be an issue of whether the punctutation was supposed to be entered at the prompt, or some such. But better manuals set that sort of material in a different typeface, so the issue of whether to type (key) in the quotation marks too doesn't come up so often.
[nq:1]Also, what to do if there is a closing sentence punctuation mark already in the quotations, like a exclamation point: ... los zapatos!" ("I have to tie my shoes!") Assume here that the original spanish sentence ends with the word "zapatos."[/nq]
Exclamation points, question marks, and all other punctuation are placed according to whether they belong to the quoted matter or not. Only one terminal mark is allowed, so !"). or !"? or ?")! or anything similar is right out.

Lars Eighner (Email Removed) http://www.io.com/~eighner/ War on Terrorism: Bad News from the Sanity Front
"Tactical nuclear capabilities should be used against the bin Laden camps in the desert of Afghanistan." -Thomas Woodrow, Washington Times

Usenet · Answer

Lars Eighner filted:
[nq:2]Also, what to do if there is a closing sentence ... that the original spanish sentence ends with the word "zapatos."[/nq]
If the amazement is at having to tie one's shoes, rather than at someone saying such a thing, you also need an opening exclamation point in the Spanish version (but not in the English):
He said, "¡Tengo que atar los zapatos!" ("I have to tie my shoes!")
[nq:1]Exclamation points, question marks, and all other punctuation are placed according to whether they belong to the quoted matter or not. Only one terminal mark is allowed, so !"). or !"? or ?")! or anything similar is right out.[/nq]
Lars, you've just invented three hitherto unknown smileys, which I interpret to mean "wearing a baseball cap with the brim turned to the side", "wearing a baseball cap with the brim turned to the side and blowing bubble gum", and "wearing a hat with a veil and an asymmetrical bowtie" respectively....r

Usenet · Answer

I understand the rules with quotation marks and ending punctuation and parentheses and ending punctuation, but when you have both, I am confused. I suppose you are saying to simply go with the following:

He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos" ("I have to tie my shoes.") He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos!" ("I have to tie my shoes!")

But there is an oddity in that. Usually, a sentence only ends with a parenthesis (without any punctuation after) when the complete sentence is in parentheses. (There are probably many exceptions.) But this is not the case.

In the second sample, by the way, the exclamation point is part of the quotation. So, I suppose, you would also go with this if the word "zapatos" wasn't the last word:
He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos..." ("I have to tie my shoes..")

Thanks,
Matt

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Exclamation points, question marks, and all other punctuation are placed according to whether they belong to the quoted matter or not. Only one terminal mark is allowed, so !"). or !"? or ?")! or anything similar is right out.[/nq]
Er, no, "!" and "?" can be repeated (or there can be one of each) if logic calls for it.

Mark Brader "By this time I was feeling guilty. No, correction, Toronto I was feeling that I should feel guilty ..." (Email Removed) Jude Devereaux

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]So, I suppose, you would also go with this if the word "zapatos" wasn't the last word: He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos..." ("I have to tie my shoes..")[/nq]
This is the worst of your attempts, not least because it ends a quotation with needless ellipsis points and ends a sentence without a period. For general American purposes, the best solution may be one of these:

He said, "Tengo que atar los zapatos" ("I have
to tie my shoes").
He said Tengo que atar los zapatos ("I have
to tie my shoes").
He said Tengo que atar los zapatos 'I have
to tie my shoes'.
Don't worry about it: let your copyeditor decide. In all cases though, the sentence will end with a period.

Quotation Marks, Parentheses, and Periods

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