Comments on: Punctuation Errors: American and British Quotation Marks http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600 hourly 1 By: mon http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/comment-page-1/#comment-185862 mon Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:08:16 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/#comment-185862 I'm American, but I must say that I've always thought that the British method makes more sense. In the future, if anyone here corrects me on my stubborn adherence to British English, I'll just tell them I was schooled in the UK. I’m American, but I must say that I’ve always thought that the British method makes more sense. In the future, if anyone here corrects me on my stubborn adherence to British English, I’ll just tell them I was schooled in the UK.

]]> By: AltMichael http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/comment-page-1/#comment-44543 AltMichael Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:59:01 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/#comment-44543 Being an American, I follow the American convention, except—and I’ve heard different claims about its correctness—when the quotation marks are used to mean that we writing about word or phrase itself instead of what it stands for. Somehow it just seems incorrect for me. For example: Native speakers of a language do not have an "accent". Or is it?: ...do not have an "accent." Also, English is a world language. I really wish the US, UK, and all these other countries would get together set a single standard for punctuation and spelling. I don't care if means even WE have to adopt some new conventions. Being an American, I follow the American convention, except—and I’ve heard different claims about its correctness—when the quotation marks are used to mean that we writing about word or phrase itself instead of what it stands for. Somehow it just seems incorrect for me.

For example: Native speakers of a language do not have an “accent”.
Or is it?: …do not have an “accent.”

Also, English is a world language. I really wish the US, UK, and all these other countries would get together set a single standard for punctuation and spelling. I don’t care if means even WE have to adopt some new conventions.

]]> By: Blair Peery http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/comment-page-1/#comment-40478 Blair Peery Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:56:15 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/#comment-40478 @Sarah: I think that the matter of the inverted commas was not mentioned so as to focus on the location of the more pedestrian commas in such lists. By the way, inverted commas are referred to in American English as 'single quotes', as opposed to "double quotes". An American who refers to something in quotes almost always means double quotes. I think few here in the States would know what the phrase "inverted commas" would mean. @Discussion at Large: While I am an American and aware of the American system, I believe any system is amenable to change. Here is how I would write the list: I like the words “friendly”, “happy”, and “joyous”. I use the justification of logic; that the quoted item should not include anything extraneous. My usage turns out to be the same as the British usage (except for the single quotes), but I wasn't aware of the British preferences before today. It is a happy coincidence. @Sarah: I think that the matter of the inverted commas was not mentioned so as to focus on the location of the more pedestrian commas in such lists.

By the way, inverted commas are referred to in American English as ’single quotes’, as opposed to “double quotes”. An American who refers to something in quotes almost always means double quotes. I think few here in the States would know what the phrase “inverted commas” would mean.

@Discussion at Large:
While I am an American and aware of the American system, I believe any system is amenable to change. Here is how I would write the list:

I like the words “friendly”, “happy”, and “joyous”.

I use the justification of logic; that the quoted item should not include anything extraneous. My usage turns out to be the same as the British usage (except for the single quotes), but I wasn’t aware of the British preferences before today. It is a happy coincidence.

]]> By: Sarah http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/comment-page-1/#comment-33285 Sarah Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:23:36 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/#comment-33285 Perhaps I have missed this point elsewhere but in British English we use what are called inverted commas when enclosing text that has not been directly quoted or to emphasise a word or words. eg. as in a previous example, the list would be 'friendly', 'happy', 'joyous'... Perhaps I have missed this point elsewhere but in British English we use what are called inverted commas when enclosing text that has not been directly quoted or to emphasise a word or words.

eg. as in a previous example, the list would be ‘friendly’, ‘happy’, ‘joyous’…

]]> By: Beth http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/comment-page-1/#comment-29778 Beth Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:42:16 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/punctuation-errors-american-and-british-quotation-marks/#comment-29778 What about quotations around apostrophes that represent the slang pronunciation of a word? For example: As Bob Dylan said, "the times, they are a-changin'." Since the apostrophe is not like a single quotation and it is not a full stop (as the period is), shouldn't it remain within the period? What about quotations around apostrophes that represent the slang pronunciation of a word? For example:
As Bob Dylan said, “the times, they are a-changin’.”

Since the apostrophe is not like a single quotation and it is not a full stop (as the period is), shouldn’t it remain within the period?

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