Humor will not be tolerated!! -Portia

...with my thesis advisor. I will probably ask several questions here over the next few months. Today's question is which of the following is correct?

1. Dude published a list that he called "my awesome list".
2. Dude published a list that he called "my awesome list."

It's begun to make a lot more sense to me to put the punctuation outside the quotation marks, but that's not what I learned in school. I have to consciously put the punctuation inside the quotation marks now, because I think that's what's correct. Unfortunately.

The Heartless Siren (Board proofreader who doesn't read the boardboard) would tell you #2. I sometimes agree with her, but I think #1 can have its moments of appropriateness. Esp. if it's a question mark or exclamation point that is applicable to the sentence at large, but not what's in the quote. For example: Did he really just say, "I love her"? If you put the question mark inside the quotes, he's now not sure that he loves her. Which definitely changes the meaning.

Yeah, this is where grammar/punctuation thugs annoy me. The "correct" answer is that it should go inside the quotation marks, but the reality is that punctuation is a manmade construct that can be modified through popular usage in particular ways. Consequently, if it makes more sense to go outside of the quotation marks, we really ought not think we're constrained by "the rules." (Note that there, I didn't think putting the period inside of the quotation mark would cause any undue confusion and wasn't part of an actual quotation, rather a qualification.)

See, what I remember learning in school is that if the stuff inside the quotation marks is a complete sentence, then the period goes inside. If not, it goes outside. If I ever find my Strunk and White book, I'll see if that has anything to say about it.

Commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, unless followed by a parenthetical reference. Question marks, exclamation points and dashes go outside quotation marks only if they do not apply to the quotation.

Has anyone else had enough of these so-called "grammar rules"? I think we should all say, "Screw it!"

NerdGirl wrote:...with my thesis advisor. I will probably ask several questions here over the next few months. Today's question is which of the following is correct?

1. Dude published a list that he called "my awesome list".
2. Dude published a list that he called "my awesome list."

British conventions say #1. American conventions say #2. According to Wikipedia, Canada sides with the US on this one, but I'd pull out the appropriate style guide for your field and region, just to be sure. (For what it's worth, the American argument is that the comma outside the quotes is ugly, and the British argument is that the comma inside the quotes is illogical.)

See, and I wouldn't even blink about that. I see no logic in #2. I love what thebigcheese did - to me, those are two good examples of when it should be outside and when it should be inside. Things go inside if they are part of the quote, outside if they are not.

thebigcheese wrote:Has anyone else had enough of these so-called "grammar rules"? I think we should all say, "Screw it!"

Wait, should we all say, "Screw it!"?

Or should we all say, "Screw it"!

I just wanted to point out that I appreciate how this board is a great go-to place for questions like these. It's like the Board, but much faster.

krebscout wrote:I just wanted to point out that I appreciate how this board is a great go-to place for questions like these. It's like the Board, but much faster.

Maybe we should rename it "The Less than 100 Hour Board."

Haha! Great idea.

Katya wrote:

NerdGirl wrote:...with my thesis advisor. I will probably ask several questions here over the next few months. Today's question is which of the following is correct?

1. Dude published a list that he called "my awesome list".
2. Dude published a list that he called "my awesome list."

American conventions say #1. British conventions say #2. According to Wikipedia, Canada sides with the US on this one, but I'd pull out the appropriate style guide for your field and region, just to be sure. (For what it's worth, the American argument is that the comma outside the quotes is ugly, and the British argument is that the comma inside the quotes is illogical.)

wait... don't you mean american conventions favor #2?

Whistler wrote:

Katya wrote:

NerdGirl wrote:...with my thesis advisor. I will probably ask several questions here over the next few months. Today's question is which of the following is correct?

1. Dude published a list that he called "my awesome list".
2. Dude published a list that he called "my awesome list."

American conventions say #1. British conventions say #2. According to Wikipedia, Canada sides with the US on this one, but I'd pull out the appropriate style guide for your field and region, just to be sure. (For what it's worth, the American argument is that the comma outside the quotes is ugly, and the British argument is that the comma inside the quotes is illogical.)

wait... don't you mean american conventions favor #2?

My bad. Fixed.