Comments | fandom_grammar: Feature - punctuating with dialogue

mab_browne in fandom_grammar

Feature - punctuating with dialogue

Jan 27, 2012 23:29

Today’s article is about punctuating dialogue ( Read more... )

dialogue:punctuation, dialogue, punctuation:dialogue, dialogue:tags, author:mab_browne

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diebirchen January 27 2012, 18:43:00 UTC

You fail to speak to the question of colons and semicolons which, at least in the United States, always go outside the quotation marks. I am unsure of the British convention on that point of punctuation, though when considered, outside seems most logical.

theemdash January 27 2012, 19:21:16 UTC

To be fair, I can't think of a single instance in which you would end dialogue with a colon or semi-colon. But that is a topic that should be addressed at some point.

diebirchen January 27 2012, 19:32:29 UTC

My Grandma Hamersmith always told me, "A stitch in time saves nine"; however, I find it easier to donate that blasted thing to Good Will.

diebirchen January 27 2012, 19:33:47 UTC

Okay -- not dialogue, but it's a point of punctuation with quotation marks, and yes, there was a Grandma Hamersmith.

diebirchen January 27 2012, 19:35:57 UTC

Rewrite:

Susan said, "My Grandma Hamersmith always said, 'A stitch in time saves nine'; however, I always found it easier to . . ."

theemdash January 27 2012, 19:40:31 UTC

Excellent example of it! Want to be a Fandom Grammarian? ;)

diebirchen January 27 2012, 20:12:40 UTC

Maybe. I have no talent for plot construction, but I beta. I'm word perfect on grammar, diction, parallel structure, punctuation, elevated vocabulary, and so on. I'm also grind my teeth over word misuse, no matter how many folks are doing it the same way. It doesn't make me "mad," but "angry." I'm not insane yet, near thing, but not yet. The majority is not always right. Plodding stuff to most, but we all have our own niché. I see such wretched mistakes, but my favorite was "poultry" for "paltry." Not kiddin' here!

diebirchen@yahoo.com
aka FGoVU
The Fairy Godmother of Verbal Usage

theemdash January 27 2012, 20:19:35 UTC

Quite seriously, if you're interested, pop over here where we have open recruiting. We need more grammar mavens such as yourself.

starwatcher307 January 28 2012, 01:48:25 UTC

.
my favorite was "poultry" for "paltry."

Hee! Good one; I'll have to remember it.

My favorite is "palatable" for "palpable", as in, "The tension in the air was positively palatable." I've seen it misused that way at least 6 or 8 times.
.

diebirchen January 28 2012, 02:23:33 UTC

I also saw "withered" for "writhed." If that were going on during sex, the "withering" I mean, it would be quite off-putting.

bluewolf458 January 28 2012, 07:03:46 UTC

I have a fairly lengthy list of these incorrect near-homophones. I think my favourite is diffuse for defuse. If you diffused a bomb you'd really be in trouble!

lady_ganesh January 28 2012, 03:38:04 UTC

OH HEAVENS YES

diebirchen January 28 2012, 04:03:38 UTC

Clarification. To what exactly was the "OH HEAVENS YES" a response? Withering sex? Palatable tension? Inquiring minds want to know. :-)

lady_ganesh January 28 2012, 04:04:59 UTC

All of that may have been all right, but I was blinded by the grammar skills. ;-)

diebirchen January 28 2012, 04:08:16 UTC

Well, I may never write Moby Dick or Othello, but every red owl to his/her/its own pear tree.

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