tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6765389283359119973.post4112340700280491256..comments2023-10-20T12:29:11.465-04:00Comments on C. Patrick Schulze - Author of Born to be Brothers: How to Punctuate DialogueC. Patrick Schulzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17082489938964241713noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6765389283359119973.post-71840505999900996822009-11-05T14:21:01.722-05:002009-11-05T14:21:01.722-05:00Hey, Michele,
I understand your delima. Although ...Hey, Michele,<br /><br />I understand your delima. Although there is a technically correct answer, it just ain't right. <br /><br />Although I offered what I thought was the "correct" answer, the results do not call to you. My advice in that case? Trust your intuition. <br /><br />A major goal of punctuation is to make one's writing read as the author intended, and in this case the correct answer perferts your meaning, it loses your message. Punctuate it to fit what you are trying to say and sleep well at tonight.<br /><br />I'm glad you have the insight to stay true to your poetry.<br /><br />C. Patrick SchulzeC. Patrick Schulzehttp://twitter.com/CPatrickSchulzenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6765389283359119973.post-81492848456296571332009-11-05T11:54:18.135-05:002009-11-05T11:54:18.135-05:00Thanks for answering me - I'm very grateful yo...Thanks for answering me - I'm very grateful you took the time to reply.<br /><br />While technically correct - doesn't it give the impression that the people calling are calling out a question?<br /><br />I'm trying to ask a question about the people calling out a definite accusatory jibe - they aren't questioning at all.<br /><br />It is a tricky one.<br /><br />I wonder if I can fall back on poetry running by its own rules and put the question mark outside as a deliberate rule break?<br /><br />It just makes logical sense out there - I am a mathematician and it makes mathematical sense there too.<br /><br />You can see why I had a headache over this though?<br /><br />But as long as I *know* what's correct - then I don't mind breaking rules - I just hate breaking them in ignorance - there's no fun in that :)Michele Brenton/aka banana_the_poethttp://poems-2-share.blog.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6765389283359119973.post-52238756642802352712009-11-05T09:03:58.672-05:002009-11-05T09:03:58.672-05:00Good question, Michele. Though poetry seems to run...Good question, Michele. Though poetry seems to run by its own rules, I would punctuate the sentence as follows:<br /><br />Perhaps they were upset because they called out, "Lunatic?"<br /><br />A comma needs insertion before the word, "Lunatic." <br /><br />n punctuation mark always goes inside the quotes, thus eliminating options 1 and 3. <br /><br />The word, "Lunitic" is a quote, so it belongs bracketed by quotation marks. That leave option 2, though a comma is needed before a quote.<br /><br />Hope this helps.<br /><br />C. Patrick SchulzeC. Patrick Schulzehttp://twitter.com/CPatrickSchulzenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6765389283359119973.post-74922261945958217702009-11-05T08:41:00.717-05:002009-11-05T08:41:00.717-05:00What is the correct way to handle this construct?
...What is the correct way to handle this construct?<br /><br />Perhaps he was upset because they called out "Lunatic!"?<br /><br />or <br /><br />Perhaps he was upset because they called out "Lunatic?"<br /><br />or <br /><br />Perhaps he was upset because they called out "Lunatic."?<br /><br />or<br /><br />Perhaps he was upset because they called out lunatic?<br /><br />I have this construction in one of my poems and I have no idea how to punctuate it.<br /><br />"Help!" she cried.Michele Brenton/aka banana_the_poethttp://banana.blog.co.uknoreply@blogger.com