Re: Quotes/Comma question

Subject: Re: Quotes/Comma question
From: <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net>
To: "Butler, Darren J Ctr 584 CBSS/GBHAC" <darren -dot- butler -dot- ctr -at- robins -dot- af -dot- mil>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:01:39 -0500

Darren Butler asked the standard question about trying to
use quotation marks to set off computer commands. Our small
but efficient team have answered it well.

The wider issue, though, is that quotation marks are one of
the broken items in the rules for written American English.
You cannot write, for example:

Did I hear him say, "Never again!"?

The correct form is supposed to be:

Did I hear him say, "Never again?"

But you intended to quote emphasis, not a question, so
circumlocution is required. Perhaps:

"Never again!" I heard him say. Or did I?

I believe that the rules for French and for Spanish work
differently and perhaps better.

--Peter Neilson




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