Punctuation of multiple paragraph speech

[Grumps]

Hello
When a speech covers multiple paragraphs, is it usual to only have the closing quotation mark at the end of the last paragraph?

[Cogito]

In a word, yes. I've actually covered this and other diaogue punctuation issues in one of my blog entries, He said, she said - Mechanics of Dialogue (http://www.writingforums.org/blog.php?b=294).

[Wreybies]

Yes, the way I understand it, that is correct. I believe that if there are multiple paragraphs, then each paragraph should having an opening quote, but yes, the closing quote only on the last.

[Grumps]

That's the way I was tought at school too. Opening quotes at the start of each para, closing quotes at the end of the last.
But is this the way it's done now?

[Cogito]

There are two separate standards in the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition. One is the "block quote", which is an indented block without any quotation marks at all (11.35). The CMS says that is the preferred approach, but I think that is primarily in a nonfiction context.

However, the ordinary quoting method used in manuscripts is the "run in" quotation, and that uses a quotation mark at the beginning of each paragraph, but only at the end of the last paragraph (11.36).

[emily...]

What if there are quotes inside the big quote? Like your character is telling a story.

[mammamaia]

then you have to use the 'single quotation mark'... like this:


"Those guys were really ticked off," Tony said. "They were yelling, 'You stink!' at me, all the way to the bus," he added.

[Cogito]

All that is in my blog entry referenced above :)

(shameless plug)

[Grumps]

Cogito, in your blog you have the following;

The mayor cleared his throat. "Today marks the fiftieth anniversary since the founding of our fine city.

"In 1861, Samuel Carpentier led an expedition of forty-three settlers to this site. They faced many hardships, but within forty years, the settlement had become the thriving town of Westburg, with over a thousand residents.

In November of 1957, fifty years ago today, the incorporation papers were filed, establishing the City of Westburg."
Should the last para be;

"In November of 1957, fifty years ago today, the incorporation papers were filed, establishing the City of Westburg."

[Cogito]

Ackkkk! You are correct. I even say that in the paragraph preceding it. :redface:

Thank you for spotting that. I've fixed it now.

[ugu]

That's so annoying, though. I'm very systematic and it drives me crazy to have each paragraph starts with a quotation mark and not end with the expected closing quotation mark.

I used to rebel and put a closing quotation mark at the end of every paragraph anyway, but my English teacher kept marking it off. She thought I was a slow learner.

[mammamaia]

ditto that!... if i made the rules...................................

[Sandwich]

Hiya. ;) [/Prerequisite first-post introductory greeting]

And pardon the bump. :)

Does anyone 'round these parts happen to know what the multi-paragraph quotation conventions are for other languages? Wikipedia only mentions the convention for Spanish in addition to English (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_marks). Specifically, I'm looking for German/Deutsch, Dutch, Norwegian, and Swedish.

Thanks in advance!

[mammamaia]

sorry, no clue!

why don't you just google for some professional writings in those languages and see how it's done?

[Cogito]

Hiya. [/Prerequisite first-post introductory greeting]

You should still post in New Member Introductions.


Does anyone 'round these parts happen to know what the multi-paragraph quotation conventions are for other languages? Wikipedia only mentions the convention for Spanish in addition to English. Specifically, I'm looking for German/Deutsch, Dutch, Norwegian, and Swedish.

Thanks in advance!

I would check the Chicago Manual of Style for startere. Although English-centric, it does provide a number of writing standards for foreign languages.