Quotation marks inside a sentence, and punctuation

I'd put the period inside the single quote, too, since the quote is a complete sentence.

Agree with lizmonster:

“As the song says: ‘I know, I simply do not understand.’”

That's the U.S. convention. Be aware that the U.K. convention reverses the roles of the single and double quotation marks (in addition to calling them "inverted commas"); thus:

'As the song says: "I know, I simply do not understand."'

caw

In the UK I would leave the period outside the "quoted quotes" (and call it a full...stop)

I don't think you're quoting the line from the song as a complete sentence, more a sentiment, so the period concludes the speaker's sentence so I would write

'As the song says: "I know, I simply do not understand".' for the UK

In the US I think the convention would include the period in the quote, so

“As the song says: ‘I know, I simply do not understand.’” for the US

I have absolutely no idea about Iceland I'm afraid

efreysson said:

Well, I am writing in English.

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Unfortunately, "English" isn't enough information for the best punctuation advice. It matters in which country you wish to be published.

Not the way it should be, but it is the way it is.

A song is an inanimate thing; it cannot say anything. I'd use as the song goes.... Also, I'd double check those lyrics (if it is a real song). I could not find the song via Googling lyrics and the words your quoted.

Chase said:

Unfortunately, "English" isn't enough information for the best punctuation advice. It matters in which country you wish to be published.

Not the way it should be, but it is the way it is.

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Chase is right. In the US, a period always goes inside the close quotes, while in the UK it only goes inside quotes if it is the terminal punctuation in the quoted sentence.

To make things more confusing, question and exclamation marks in the US do go outside the quotes if they are not actually part of the quoted sentence.

I've no idea why things evolved that way. I assume an editor at a US publishing house will fix British-style punctuation norms in accepted manuscripts, and vice versa.

Enlightened said:

A song is an inanimate thing; it cannot say anything. I'd use as the song goes.... Also, I'd double check those lyrics (if it is a real song). I could not find the song via Googling lyrics and the words your quoted.

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I think this is semantic hair splitting. Whether or not a song literally "says" something is irrelevant when we are talking about representing the way people actually express ideas. Plenty of idioms, and even more formal expressions, are not logical in a literal sense.

Enlightened said:

A song is an inanimate thing; it cannot say anything. I'd use as the song goes.... Also, I'd double check those lyrics (if it is a real song). I could not find the song via Googling lyrics and the words your quoted.

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That wasn't what the OP asked about. ..and how do you know what vocabulary the character might use? It might be perfectly appropriate for him or her to use words imprecisely. It also might not be a song that exists in this world, for the abovementioned copyright issue.

Roxxsmom said:

I think this is semantic hair splitting. Whether or not a song literally "says" something is irrelevant when we are talking about representing the way people actually express ideas. Plenty of idioms, and even more formal expressions, are not logical in a literal sense.

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It's possible the OP will get called on this with an agent or editor. It's the OP's choice to use the info or not. I thought I'd point it out, because no one else did.

Marissa D said:

That wasn't what the OP asked about. ..and how do you know what vocabulary the character might use? It might be perfectly appropriate for him or her to use words imprecisely. It also might not be a song that exists in this world, for the abovementioned copyright issue.

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No one pointed out what an agent or editor might criticize the OP about (or give reason to turn the work down). OP's choice to follow it or not. As per the song, it is something an agent or editor might point out as well. OP's choice to consider it or not. My point had nothing to do with copyright. It pertained to something that might turn an agent or editor off. Might is a strong word; it may not even be a concern to anyone. At least allow the OP to make a decision if the information is worthy of consideration.

Enlightened said:

No one pointed out what an agent or editor might criticize the OP about (or give reason to turn the work down).

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No agent or editor worth the title is going to turn down a MS because of a small grammatical dispute.

lizmonster said:

No agent or editor worth the title is going to turn down a MS because of a small grammatical dispute.

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If it is not the only problem, or just one of a few, small things, likely not. If either (or both) of the matters are part of a list where these tip it into the pass category, it's something to consider for the OP.

Enlightened said:

If it is not the only problem, or just one of a few, small things, likely not. If either (or both) of the matters are part of a list where these tip it into the pass category, it's something to consider for the OP.

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I know and have known a LOT of agents and editors.

I don't know a single one who would reject a book because of a punctuation issue like this.

It's a small thing. It's better to get punctuation right, of course: but a misplaced quote-mark is not a matter for rejection.