Question for the grammar police

[SUroot]

most of that makes sense, however the use of single and double quotations seems reversed compared to anything I've ever been taught. I mean even in every book I've ever read, it's always been double for any dialogue or quotations with single quotations within dialogue.

Its an English thing apparently, where as other English speaking countries do not. However I also do it the way you do.

Where are you? USA?

 

[B2L]

most of that makes sense, however the use of single and double quotations seems reversed compared to anything I've ever been taught. I mean even in every book I've ever read, it's always been double for any dialogue or quotations with single quotations within dialogue.

This seems pretty odd to me as well, I was taught the same way you were.

 

[SUroot]

Indeed, but I'm not in a position to argue English with oxford university, as in Oxford English dictionary...

 

[tommy_ed]

Its an English thing apparently, where as other English speaking countries do not. However I also do it the way you do.

Where are you? USA?

yeap usa. but we're talkin midwest small town usa, so i wouldn't say my english is exactly proper LOL

 

[Bob Maxey]

But is this grammatically correct?

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

 

[SUroot]

I am from England and I would like to say my English was rather good but I know I am lazy. Furthermore, there is too much to know and not enough space in my brain to cope. I am glad that UoO sort of agree with what I thought about commas but I'm angry at them about quotations.

I never like to see ' used as quotations ever, but apparently we English do that. I always prefer " and if I have to quote in a quote, only then will I use ' as an absolute last resort.

Lets just say "to each his own". ...And yes, I do put the full stop after the quotation marks, even though I know that to be wrong

(Who knows what they think about my plain text smilies?!)

 

[SUroot]

But is this grammatically correct?

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Poetry seldom is.

Lets not get onto the punctuation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"

 

[doniago]

As far as whether punctuation goes inside or outside quotation marks, I believe it's prone to regional variation. When editing Wikipedia, the policy is to always place punctuation outside quotation marks, but this directly contradicts what I was taught growing up.

As far as pausing while speaking as a guideline for comma placement, obviously different speakers might pause in different locations, which is why it can be difficult to assess another writer's use of commas other than to offer opinion.