RE: Single vs double quotes? (take II)

Subject: RE: Single vs double quotes? (take II)
From: "Elizabeth OShea" <Elizabeth -dot- OShea -at- emergesmart -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 17:45:23 +0100


In European English, use single inverted commas (single quotes) to enclose
quotations from printed material that are less than 100 words long. Also use
single inverted commas to highlight dialect, slang, or jargon when the term
is not likely to be commonly understood within the context in which it is
being presented. Use single inverted commas when using a word ironically.

To present a quotation within a quotation, use double inverted commas.

Example:

I explained, 'Geoff Hart commented, "I was basing my comments on my most
recent round of
reading British fiction"'.

Include punctuation belonging to a quotation _within_ the inverted commas.
(This is opposite to what my US guides tell me). Do not place further
punctuation after the final inverted comma.

Example:

She asked, 'do you think he said, "will you marry me?"'


Place punctuation belonging to the containing sentence _outside_ the
inverted commas.

Example:

She asked, 'I couldn't hear: do you think he said "yes, I'll marry you"'?

In practice, people often use US style for inverted commas. The important
thing is consistency (as Loreto Todd says in her _Guide to Punctuation_
[Cassell]).

Our current (draft) house style is European English style for European
clients, US style for US clients and clients that request it. A client's own
style always overrides house style.

elizabeth

elizabeth -dot- oshea -at- emergesmart -dot- com



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References:
RE: Single vs double quotes? (take II): From: Nancy Kaminski

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