Stuttering...how to properly indicate it...

Em-dashes are what I'd use. Also, it's a little tricky because technically you can't pronounce "wh." A better type of stuttering would be something that is actually pronounceable: "wha--wha--whatever do you mean?"

On the other hand the 'h' is silent.

W--w--what?

I'm reminded of a story my cousin told me years ago about squirrel hunting with a fellow who had a speech impediment, in local slang: "tongue tied."

My cousin said the fellow spotted a squirrel running through the timber. The fellow ran after it, pointed and yelled: "Squ-squ-squ-squ-squ-squ. Damned thing went 'n a hole."


Here's how they did it in 1957, "Atlas Shrugged," by Ayn Rand--Random House, New York, page 346. Notice the use of the exclamation mark.

"By what right did you make it sound as if I--I!--gave my sanction to that book?"

To my eye, that quote has nothing to do with a stutter, but the use of the dash and exclamation point seems effective in context to me.

Arkie said:

Here's how they did it in 1957, "Atlas Shrugged," by Ayn Rand--Random House, New York, page 346. Notice the use of the exclamation mark.

"By what right did you make it sound as if I--I!--gave my sanction to that book?"

Click to expand...

Pamster said:

The sentence I want should be: "Wh-wh-what...

Click to expand...

Wh-wh-works for me.

Here's how they did it in 1957, "Atlas Shrugged," by Ayn Rand--Random House, New York, page 346. Notice the use of the exclamation mark.

"By what right did you make it sound as if I--I!--gave my sanction to that book?"

Click to expand...

That isn't a stutter. It's emphasis.

I think I'd go for "wh-wh-what" rather than "wha-wha-what" because "wh" is a shorter sound than "wha"--if that makes sense! To my mind, if the person had got as far as the "a" sound, he'd be over the bit causing him to stutter.