1. lostinwebspace

    lostinwebspace Active Member

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    Italicized punctuation

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by lostinwebspace, Oct 19, 2011.

    Do we italicize puctuation if the last word in a sentence is italicized? Here's an example:

    You got that out of this month's People?

    Is that question mark italicized or does it retain the same typeface as the rest of the sentence? It wouldn't obviously matter for periods--what's a slanted dot look like?--and I guess you can see it in commas. But, in exclamation points, question marks, colons, etc., there's definitely a visual difference.
     
  2. Raki

    Raki New Member

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    Only if the punctuation is part of the italicized portion. For example, if a book's title is, Are You Serious? then you would italicize the question mark. And if you used it at the end of the sentence, the question mark would keep the italics (e.g., Have you read, Are You Serious?). However, if the title is just, Are You Serious, with no question mark, then the punctuation would not keep the italics (e.g., Have you read, Are You Serious?). The first example would also mean that you could have a statement ending with a question mark (e.g., I just finished reading, Are You Serious?).
     
  3. lostinwebspace

    lostinwebspace Active Member

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    Thanks!

    What about for text italicized for emphasis?

    Same deal? Don't italicize the question mark (colon, exclamation point, what-have-you)?
     
  4. Jhunter

    Jhunter Mmm, bacon. Contributor

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    I believe for a normal sentence in a book it would be left alone, no italics. But I agree with Raki, a title would follow suit.
     
  5. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    'lost' is not lost on this issue... he's right!...
     
  6. lostinwebspace

    lostinwebspace Active Member

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    Heheh. Say that again. I like the sound of it.

    Thanks, everyone!
     

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