Formatting quotation marks

FloVoyager · Feb 15, 2007

Okay, I tried The Chicago Manual of Style, searching here at AW and on the web in general, and checking published books by well-known authors, and I can't find the answer.

How should I format quotes within quotes in dialog? I know to use double then single quotes, as in, "She said, 'Go with your friend.'" That's not what I'm asking about. I'm wondering if there should be any space between the multiple marks when they appear next to each other. I've seen it done in the novels of at least one household name, and that got me to thinking. Which is correct?

1) "She said, 'Go with your friend.'"
2) "She said, 'Go with your friend.' "

san_remo_ave · Feb 15, 2007

What about:

"She said, 'Go with your friend'."

*shrug* I'm really not sure, but will now be curious to see what the consensus is!

CheshireCat · Feb 15, 2007

I'd probably avoid the entire question by making it, "She told him to go with his friend."

But it is the sort of thing that could easily vary from publisher to publisher, according to the "house style" of each. And it's not something an agent or editor is going to trip over while reading, so I'd put it whichever way you want and leave it to the ce to decide.

Carmy · Feb 15, 2007

I'm no expert, but . . .

"She said, Go with your friend."

maestrowork · Feb 15, 2007

According to my publisher's house style:

"She said, 'Go with your friend.' " (extra space between the last two quotes)

PeeDee · Feb 15, 2007

Like Cheshire, I think I'd avoid it if I could. But when I can't, I've always done it the way Ray does.

laurenem6 · Feb 15, 2007

I've personally never seen it with a space there. Go figure.

Deleted member 42 · Feb 15, 2007

Don't use the extra space; when the piece is published it will be typeset and it's a PITA to have to look for stuff like that.

If, on the other hand, the publisher or editor tells you to use extra space, then do, but generally, no.

The typesetter has other ways of controlling the spacing.

Jamesaritchie · Feb 16, 2007

Quotes

I'd avoid writing that way, but if you do, as Medievalist says, no space. Let the copy editor and/or typesetter deal with this.

ShannonC_77 · Feb 16, 2007

maestrowork said:
According to my publisher's house style:

"She said, 'Go with your friend.' " (extra space between the last two quotes)

I'm no expert by any means but this is how I would do it. I looks right to me.

benbradley · Feb 16, 2007

PeeDee said:
Like Cheshire, I think I'd avoid it if I could. But when I can't, I've always done it the way Ray does.

Ray? Who's Ray?

"'Where's My Scorecard?' he frantically queried."

Judg · Feb 16, 2007

benbradley said:
Ray? Who's Ray?

"'Where's My Scorecard?' he frantically queried."

Ray= Maestrowork

Berry · Feb 16, 2007

It doesn't matter. Just be consistent. If your novel is bought, the copyeditor will conform the MS to the house style, and no editor is going to reject you just because you used the wrong quote spacing. Stop obsessing about trivialities and concentrate on the writing. THAT is what matters!

FloVoyager · Feb 16, 2007

Thanks everyone.

DeadlyAccurate · Feb 16, 2007

Imelda said:
"She said, 'Go with your friend'."

I've never seen a style guide where this is correct.

I've always gone with the OP's #1. I'd never heard of putting a space between the marks.

maestrowork · Feb 16, 2007

This is from wikipedia:

Spacing

There is generally no space between an opening quotation mark and the following word, or a closing quotation mark and the preceding word. When a double quotation mark or a single quotation mark immediately follows the other, proper spacing for legibility requires that a non-breaking space be inserted.

So Dave actually said, “He said, ‘Good morning?’ ”
Yes, he did say, “He said, ‘Good morning.’ ”

Formatting quotation marks

FloVoyager

Will write for chocolate

san_remo_ave

Back at it

CheshireCat

Mostly purring. Mostly.

Carmy

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

laurenem6

Deleted member 42

Jamesaritchie

ShannonC_77

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

Berry

FloVoyager

Will write for chocolate

DeadlyAccurate

Absolutely Fazed

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray