In the States, maybe. Not here.
So here I am nit-picking grammar on a Friday night. I must be over 40....
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Regarding spelling, punctuation, and grammar
- Thread starter FilterFunk
- Start date
In the States, maybe. Not here.
So here I am nit-picking grammar on a Friday night. I must be over 40....
So, where is "here?" I was an English minor, my mother and Godmother were both English teachers, And every book I've read by a British author conforms to the standards I've described. I don't recall anything specifically by a Canadian, so I can't speak to their sensibilities.
Invalid Link Removed
Hope this link works. I looked at a few websites and they all say the same thing. The US puts the period inside the quotes & UK & Can etc puts it outside.
......and if I wasn't an uber dork before, I sure am now.
Obviously you spent a significant amount of time in deep contemplation before formulating a reply. Any further discussion is probably a waste of time, yet I offer you the following in consideration of the above quote.
1). If enlightenment truly is your goal, it's possible to learn something useful from just about anyone regardless of his or her intelligence. An open mind and a measure of humility are usually helpful in facilitating any meaningful learning experience.
2). Character is more important than intellect. Many of humankind's most loathsome and detestable individuals were exceedingly brilliant.
3). Since you so enjoy indulging your habit of correcting others, it's likely that sooner or later one of your victims will take a personal interest in (ahem) correcting you, in a very dramatic and unexpected way, so as to cure you of said habit.
4). The character traits reflected in your posts are not consistent with those exhibited by most good bassists. Have you considered taking up the guitar?
Good luck--to those who have to put up with you.
Apparently you didn't read the post to which I was replying, nor did you review the information in the link.
I'm not fussed by bad spelling, apostrophes or imperfect grammar. BUT what really annoys me is when people go out of their way to use NO punctuation to look hip. They'll invariably use words like "cuz" and "teh" to up the cool even thought they went out of style about 10 mintues ago. You end up having to sift through a whole pile of letters to see if their train of thought is even worth following.
Seriously. You guys shouldn't waste time over the placement of dots when there are important unresolved questions like "P or J?" 
Now, will we all remember this - probably not. I blew it ^ on the periods, half-baked on the questions marks... don't beat me.
Quotation Marks
More Punctuation Rules: Apostrophes Colons Commas Dashes Ellipsis Marks Exclamation Points Hyphens Parentheses Periods Question Marks Quotation Marks Semicolons Spacing With Punctuation
Rule 1
Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.
Examples:
The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
She said, "Hurry up."
She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"
Rule 2
The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.
Examples:
She asked, "Will you still be my friend?"
Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"?
Here the question is outside the quote.
NOTE: Only one ending punctuation mark is used with quotation marks. Also, the stronger punctuation mark wins. Therefore, no period after war is used.
Rule 3
When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark.
Example:
Did she say, "May I go?"
I blew it ^ on the periods, half-baked on the questions marks... don't beat me.Quotation Marks
More Punctuation Rules: Apostrophes Colons Commas Dashes Ellipsis Marks Exclamation Points Hyphens Parentheses Periods Question Marks Quotation Marks Semicolons Spacing With Punctuation
Rule 1
Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.
Examples:
The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
She said, "Hurry up."
She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"
Rule 2
The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.
Examples:
She asked, "Will you still be my friend?"
Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"?
Here the question is outside the quote.
NOTE: Only one ending punctuation mark is used with quotation marks. Also, the stronger punctuation mark wins. Therefore, no period after war is used.
Rule 3
When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark.
Example:
Did she say, "May I go?"
But I don't SPELL Ibanez with either a P or a J.Seriously. You guys shouldn't waste time over the placement of dots when there are important unresolved questions like "P or J?"
Now, will we all remember this - probably not.
Quotation Marks
More Punctuation Rules: Apostrophes Colons Commas Dashes Ellipsis Marks Exclamation Points Hyphens Parentheses Periods Question Marks Quotation Marks Semicolons Spacing With Punctuation
Rule 1
Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.
Examples:
The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
She said, "Hurry up."
She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"
Rule 2
The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.
Examples:
She asked, "Will you still be my friend?"
Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"?
Here the question is outside the quote.
NOTE: Only one ending punctuation mark is used with quotation marks. Also, the stronger punctuation mark wins. Therefore, no period after war is used.
Rule 3
When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark.
Example:
Did she say, "May I go?"
These rules aren't universal.
Now, will we all remember this - probably not.
Quotation Marks
More Punctuation Rules: Apostrophes Colons Commas Dashes Ellipsis Marks Exclamation Points Hyphens Parentheses Periods Question Marks Quotation Marks Semicolons Spacing With Punctuation
Rule 1
Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.
Examples:
The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
She said, "Hurry up."
She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"
Rule 2
The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.
Examples:
She asked, "Will you still be my friend?"
Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"?
Here the question is outside the quote.
NOTE: Only one ending punctuation mark is used with quotation marks. Also, the stronger punctuation mark wins. Therefore, no period after war is used.
Rule 3
When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark.
Example:
Did she say, "May I go?"
Exactly right.
Agreed. Like beauty - you might only be handsome in a land of trolls.
Oh very nice. You're going to die a lonely man harboring all that malice in your heart, you know.
....but the trolls do indeed find me quite easy on the eyes..
So apparently you're really short too.
No malice, ugly people make it easier on us normal looking folk.
So apparently you're really short too.
I can't relate. "Normal looking" is leagues beneath me, being ridiculously handsome and whatnot.
Obviously you spent a significant amount of time in deep contemplation before formulating a reply. Any further discussion is probably a waste of time, yet I offer you the following in consideration of the above quote.
1). If enlightenment truly is your goal, it's possible to learn something useful from just about anyone regardless of his or her intelligence. An open mind and a measure of humility are usually helpful in facilitating any meaningful learning experience.
2). Character is more important than intellect. Many of humankind's most loathsome and detestable individuals were exceedingly brilliant.
3). Since you so enjoy indulging your habit of correcting others, it's likely that sooner or later one of your victims will take a personal interest in (ahem) correcting you, in a very dramatic and unexpected way, so as to cure you of said habit.
4). The character traits reflected in your posts are not consistent with those exhibited by most good bassists. Have you considered taking up the guitar?
Good luck--to those who have to put up with you.
Okay, I admit, I tried to sound more pompous than I really am earlier to look smarter. Am I really that smart? No. Do I really care that much? Not really. I have certain pet peeves about grammar that I correct, but for the most part I let it go. I appreciate the personal attacks, guys, thanks. I understand that I likely deserved them for my response (which really doesn't display my character in any way, except for the trying-too-hard-to-look-smart-in-front-of-others part), and I apologize for being a massive d-bag. I have no idea what I was trying to say about enlightenment, I was just trying to sound smart and prove you wrong on some basis. I honestly don't know what I meant. I came off a bit harsh in my original post in this thread when I said that I've stopped associating with dumb people. I retract that statement for something much more accurate: I strive to associate with brilliant people. I realize that this thread has been a whole lot of shooting myself in the foot with idiot remarks just attempting to win some argument, and so I apologize to those who I have talked to in this way, and those whose first impression of me is any part of this thread.
Munji, the shot at my parents was uncalled for.
On the quotation mark question, the correct method is to put the period of the entire sentence within the quotes in the USA. This makes no logical sense as the punctuation should logically go with the part of the sentence to which it belongs. So if the quoted speech as reached a full stop then it should really have a full stop inside the quotation marks, a quotation mark, and then a full stop to mark the end of the sentence of the person reporting the speech.
<sentence>
<reportedspeech>
<sentence>
<word>This</word>
<word>would</word>
<word>be</word>
<word>painful</word>
</sentence>
</reportedspeech>
<word>he</word>
<word>said</word>
</sentence>
But you could XSLT it to a create punctuated sentence after verifying it against a nice definition document
<sentence>
<reportedspeech>
<sentence>
<word>This</word>
<word>would</word>
<word>be</word>
<word>painful</word>
</sentence>
</reportedspeech>
<word>he</word>
<word>said</word>
</sentence>
But you could XSLT it to a create punctuated sentence after verifying it against a nice definition document
Last edited:
