Excellent, Herb. Your logic is impeccable.
The “ symbol when used for inches is a symbol, not a punctuation mark.
Many thanks.
Dick
________________________________
Richard Veit
Department of English
From:
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008
2:09 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: a punctuation
question
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
From:
Sent: 2008-03-12 12:14
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: a punctuation
question
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 14th 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
From:
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008
12:00 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: a punctuation
question
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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