Huddleston&Pullum, writing with Geoffrey Nunberg, make no mention of non-alphabetic symbols in their chapter on punctuation.  They deal with double inverted commas, to use a neutral term, only with respect to paired sets that mark of such things as direct quotations and titles.  I take from this omission that when single and double inverted commas are used lexically, to mean things like feet, inches, minutes, etc. they are not punctuation marks and do not behave as punctuation marks.  So I would conclude that they don’t move to the other side of a period or comma any more than their lexical equivalents would.  I suspect the confusion is caused partly by the name we choose to call them:  “quotation marks” rather begs the question.

 

Herb

 

 

With quotes setting off an expression, American practice is to put the period inside, and British is to put the period outside, I think. The Chicago Manual of Style (or at least, the 14^th edition – I don’t have the newest one) doesn’t seem to address the “quotes with expressions” topic head-on, but does have examples of expression-marking quotes with commas inside the quotes, so I’m assuming periods behave similarly.  The inches question, I’m clueless on.

 

 

---  Bill Spruiell

 

 

And does putting the period outside the last quote also apply to all quotes setting of an expression rather than an actual quote?
 
Ah, to speak the Queen's English!
 
Geoff

> Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:48:02 -0400
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: a punctuation question
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> I was asked a punctuation question I can't answer, and I am looking for informed help:
>
> Does the "punctuation within quotes" rule hold true if you're talking about heights? Which way should I end the sentence? 5’11.” or 5'11".
>
> My seat-of-the-pants answer is period last in a case like this where the " symbol is not being used as a quotation mark, but that is only an impression. I would be grateful for information from others who know the convention.
>
> Dick Veit
>
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