h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ok,

If I am quoting something that goes "blah de blah de blah de blah......"

and in quoting it, i reach the end of the sentence, Where does the full stop go?

I.e would it be "blah de blah de blah de blah......". (with the full stop at the end of what I have in quotes to indicate that I have finished the sentence).

Or would it be something else?

If this question makes sense to you, then I would suggest it's time to start panicking.

Personally, as a traditionalist, I always go for tucking the full point inside the close quotes.

Try using another device such as '-' ';' or putting stuff inside of (***).
r
Why am I answering this question?

Should I top myself?


What I really want to know is 'Why Can't People Stop Posting Questions When I've Been Away For a Few Days?'

Note explanation mark inside end quote - looks fine don't it?

I recall being taught that punctuation marks always go inside the quotes.

Okay then!

American English: Period always inside closing quotation mark.

British English: Full stop inside closing quotation mark if the quoted material is a full sentence and is preceeded by another punctuation mark.



Hope that this helps.

TRiG.

Try 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' by Lynne Truss for an entertaining introduction to punctuation.

Many would dispute its usefulness but I learnt a thing or two.

turvy

OK, here's a couple of things: firstly, the accepted use of ... is three dots only. Secondly, if you end a sentence within quotes, you don't need to end it outside the quotes as well (similar to using parentheses (commonly called brackets) like this).

RF

<the accepted use is three dots only Made my day thank you

... has a name does it not? Ellipses or something?

() = Parentheses

[] = Brackets

{} = Curly things

If your quote includes the end of the quoted sentence, the full stop should go in the quotation marks. If your quotation cuts off before the end of the quoted sentence, the full stop should go outside them, as it is the whole sentence ending, which the quote is only part of. A period within the quotes would make no sense.

Ellipsis. yes. That's the word I couldn't think of.

Oops, mustn't end a sentence with a proposition. Let me rewrite the above:

That's the word I couldn't think of, bitch.

RF

Thanks guys, really appreciate your input.

I accept that the 'accepted' use of ... is three (3) dots only, however, the quote I was attempting to quote was actually "......" (that is, it used six (6) dots) - would that make it 12 dots or 36 dots?

However, if the quote had six (6) - or 12 or 36 - dots and was not the end of the sentence but me quoting it was the end of MY sentence, then I couldn't put Seven (7) - or 14 or 49 - dots, as then it wouldn't be quoting the original quote - I think.

I think I will go with six (6) - or 12 or 36 - dots inside the quote, then one (1) - or 2 or 1 - dot after the quote to end my sentence.

The only problem is it just looks wrong if it's written as :

"blah de blah de blah de blah......".

Maybe I could try and re-arrange it so I end up with six (7) - or 13 or 42 - dots.

Douglas, you were definitely on to something there...

On second thoughts, I think I have to find an easier way to say what I am trying to say - or maybe I just won't bother trying to say it.

Shame really, as what I was going to say was going to be really profound and enlightening - Oh well...

Many punctuation symbols take their names from the parts of the sentence with which they ate associated. So a comma is a phrase in a sentence; it is set off with little curly marks called commas. Similarly, a parentheses (a parenthetical statement, if you like) is an unimportant (from a gramatical viewpoint, at least) addition to a main statement. It can be said to be 'in parentheses'. And so the punctuation marks used to set it off are called parentheses, though in British English they are more commonly referred to as round brackets, or simply brackets.

[] - square brackets.
{} - link brackets, I think. (I more usually call them chain brackets, because that's what they're called in maths.)

TRiG.

It is important to note, of course, that a parenthetical statement need not be marked by brackets. In certain contexts, dashes will do the job. I think they are what Evan Boland uses in 'Child of Our Time'.

TRiG.

I hate it when people use the word 'brackets' for () - parenthesis, but grit my teeth as won't do any good trying to correct them.

brackets={}

How about: Quoting from the book - "Andrea said: 'Does my bum look big in this?'."

The final full point not only finishes the whole sentence but also separates the quotation marks, though I suppose it would be even better to rejig the whole thing to avoid all that punctuation at the end of the sentences.