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  1. dillseed

    dillseed Active Member

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    BrE vs AmE

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by dillseed, May 3, 2015.

    Without using italics, is this how BrE and AmE would handle the quote marks and commas for these abbreviations? If so, the BrE example looks much better and cleaner.

    BrE: The abbreviations "etc.", "et al.", "a.m.", and "p.m." are of Latin origin.

    AmE: The abbreviations "etc.," "et al.," "a.m.," and "p.m." are of Latin origin.

    Is each version punctuated correctly – yes or no?

    Thank you.
     
  2. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    Yeah, I think those are correct. And I agree, the American way doesn't make all that much sense.
     
  3. dillseed

    dillseed Active Member

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    Thanks.

    The same could be said for these:

    BrE: "I", he said, "am disgusted."
    AmE: "I," he said, "disgusted."

    The original sentence is "I am disgusted", not "I, am disgusted"; hence the comma should go outside, as shown in the BrE version above, agreed?

    But:

    BrE & AmE: "I am disgusted," he said, "but I'll get over it."

    Comma goes inside because the original sentence ("I am disgusted, but I'll get over it") calls for a comma before the coordinating conjunction "but", which separates two independent clauses.

    Do you agree with me on both counts?

    Thanks again.
     
  4. thirdwind

    thirdwind Member Contest Administrator Reviewer Contributor

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    For dialogue, the comma always goes inside the quotes. So your British English example is incorrect.
     
  5. dillseed

    dillseed Active Member

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    So in BrE it should be:

    "I," he said, "am disgusted."

    Additionally in BrE:

    "That," he said, "is an abomination!"

    "I will go," he said, "whether it rains or not."

    Commas per BrE go inside the introductory quote marks in all three examples above (after "I", "That", and "I will go"), correct?
     
  6. dillseed

    dillseed Active Member

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    In BrE, would you deem the punctuation correct in these as well?

    John said, "I heard Gabe say, 'Janice is divorcing Luke'." (Or should the ending punctuation be ... Luke.' ")

    When Mike screamed "Go to hell!", Janice cried. (Can that one comma be omitted?)

    After Janice asked "Why are you divorcing me, Luke?", he had no response. (Can that one comma be omitted as well?)
     
  7. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    John said, "I heard Gabe say, 'Janice is divorcing Luke'." (Or should the ending punctuation be ... Luke.' ") - I'd put the period inside the single quotation mark. "Janice is divorcing Luke" is a full sentence, so the end punctuation makes sense inside the quotation.

    When Mike screamed "Go to hell!", Janice cried. (Can that one comma be omitted?) Honestly, I'd rewrite this one to avoid the construction. No idea what the punctuation would be!

    After Janice asked "Why are you divorcing me, Luke?", he had no response. (Can that one comma be omitted as well?) Again, I'd rewrite. Punctuation is supposed to add clarity, but it can only do so much!
     
  8. dillseed

    dillseed Active Member

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    thirdwind,

    So, in BrE, it should be:

    "I," he said, "am disgusted."

    Additionally in BrE:

    "That," he said, "is an abomination!"

    "I will go," he said, "whether it rains or not."

    Commas per BrE go inside the introductory quote marks in all three examples above (after "I", "That", and "I will go"), correct?
     
  9. thirdwind

    thirdwind Member Contest Administrator Reviewer Contributor

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    Yes, that's correct.
     

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