|
Objective
In this lesson,
you'll learn how quotation marks function and how to use them when
directly or indirectly quoting what someone said or wrote. You'll
also learn some other common uses of quotation marks and how to use
other marks of punctuation in conjunction with quotation marks.
The Function
of Quotation Marks
Quotation marks
are used to signal a person's direct oral or written communication.
They tell readers that the words contained within them are the exact
ones that someone spoke or wrote. Because quotation marks signal someone
else's ideas, they must be presented in a specific manner so readers
know precisely where the writer's communication ends and another person's
communication begins.
Using Quotation
Marks
In general,
a pair of quotation marks is used to signal the beginning and ending
of someone's exact words, or a direct quotation. For example,
if a writer wanted to present exactly what her sister told her during
a telephone conversation, she could compose the following sentence:
My sister
said, "You'll never know if you can do it unless you try."
The clause "my
sister said" indicates who the speaker is, while the comma is
used to separate the speaker from the words she spoke. The left-hand
quotation mark signals the beginning of the sister's words and the
right-hand quotation mark (following the period) signals the end of
her words.
This same method
can be used to present the ideas that someone has had published in
a book, a newspaper, a magazine, a journal, or a web site. If the
writer of an essay wanted to use a particular passage from a grammar
handbook to support her idea that revising one's writing takes a great
deal of time, she could include the following:
According
to Diana Hacker in A Writer's Reference, "For the experienced
writer, revising is rarely a one-step process" (17).
The phrase "According
to Diana Hacker in A Writer's Reference" indicates the
author of the quotation, while the comma is used to separate the author
from the words she wrote. The left-hand quotation mark signals the
beginning of Hacker's words and the right-hand quotation mark signals
the end of her words. The number in parentheses identifies the page
on which the quotation was found, and the period provides the end
mark of punctuation for the entire sentence.
However, quotation
marks are not used with an indirect quotation, when the writer
is simply reporting what someone else said or wrote, rather than presenting
those words exactly. If, for example, a writer wanted to report what
her sister told her during a telephone conversation, she could do
so in an indirect quotation, which would look like this:
My sister
told me that I'll never know if I can do it unless I try.
For this indirect
quotation, quotation marks are not needed; in addition, the writer's
point of view remains in the first person "I" (whereas in the direct
quotation, the words used are the second person "you").
The same method
of indirect quotation can be used to present someone else's published
ideas. If the writer of an essay wanted to quote Diana Hacker's ideas
on writing indirectly, she could do the following:
According
to Diana Hacker in A Writer's Reference, most accomplished
writers employ several steps when they revise their writing (17).
For this indirect
quotation, quotation marks are not needed; and yet, the page number
reference, in parentheses, is still included to indicate the page
on which this idea was found.
Note:
This parenthetical style of documenting sources is known as "MLA Style."
It's the most widely used style in the humanities, particularly in
English. Other documentation styles exist and are used more often
in other academic disciplines.
Other Common
Uses of Quotation Marks
Quotation marks
have other common uses as well. Most notably, they are used to signal
lines of poetry, titles of brief pieces of writing, and words used
in unusual ways.
(1) Using Quotation
Marks to Signal Lines of Poetry
When quoting
one line from a poem, present those lines just like a direct quotation.
That is, first identify the author and the name of the text, and then
present the lines of poetry enclosed in a pair of quotation marks.
However, when quoting two lines from a poem, use a backslash (/) between
the lines of poetry, with a space both before and after the backslash.
Each type of poetic quotation should resemble the following (from
Denise Levertov's The Secret):
In "The Secret,"
Denise Levertov describes the actions of two girls who, "in a sudden
line of / poetry," discover what they consider "the secret of life."
Quotation marks
are not needed if three or more lines of poetry are quoted. Instead,
all of the lines should be presented as they were on the original
page, and all of the lines should be indented 10 spaces from the left
margin. This type of poetic quotation should look like the following:
In "The Secret,"
Denise Levertov writes:
Two
girls discover
the secret of life
in a sudden line of
poetry.
(2) Using Quotation
Marks to Signal Titles of Brief Pieces of Writing
When presenting
the title of an article from a newspaper or magazine, a chapter of
a book, a poem, a radio or television program, a short story, or a
song, a pair of quotation marks is needed at the beginning and ending
of the title.
The front-page
story "Musical Brings Kids Together" describes the fun and friendship
children shared while performing the show.
Chapter Three,
titled "Cognition and Memory," was particularly interesting.
Percy
Byshe Shelley's "Zeinab and Kathema" recounts a love story while criticizing
British colonialism.
NBC's "Meet
the Press" usually has interesting political figures.
"Where Are
You Going? Where Have You Been?" is Kelley's favorite story.
I prefer Harry
Connick Jr.'s rendition of "There's No Business Like Show Business."
Note:
The title of a book, a film, a play, or a web site, as well as the
name of a book, a magazine, or a newspaper, should be either underlined
or italicized.
(3) Using Quotation
Marks to Signal Words Used in Unusual Ways
When presenting
words used as words, words used ironically, or words that are unfamiliar
or technical, a pair of quotation marks is needed at the beginning
and ending of the words.
I have a hard
time figuring out when to use "there," "their," and "they're."
After
I read her "masterpiece" of writing, I simply didn't know what to
say.
The "CPU,"
or "central processing unit," is the most important part of a computer.
Using Other
Marks of Punctuation with Quotation Marks
When other marks
of punctuation are used in writing that contains quotation marks,
these marks of punctuation need to be placed carefully, according
to conventions already established.
(1) Commas and
Periods Commas and periods should always be placed before the right-hand
quotation mark, a placement known as "inside the quotation marks."
"I really
need to go," she said, with tears in her eyes.
His biggest
difficulty was in spelling the word "Constantinople."
Note:
A known exception to this convention occurs in MLA Style parenthetical
documentation, in which the period is placed after the citation in
parentheses.
(2) Colons and
Semicolons
Colons and semicolons
should always be placed after the right-hand quotation mark, a placement
known as "outside the quotation marks."
The family
wanted to visit Florida's "Big Three": Disney World, Epcot Center,
and Sea World.
Thomas had
firmly stated, "You'll never make me do it"; however, his friends
managed to convince him to ride the roller coaster.
(3) Exclamation
Points and Question Marks
Exclamation
points and question marks can be put in two different places, depending
upon what they apply to. If either of these marks applies only to
the quotation, then it should be placed before the right-hand quotation
mark ("inside the quotation marks"):
She cried,
"I know exactly what you mean!"
Janet wondered,
"Will they know how to fix this?"
However, if either
of these marks applies to the sentence as a whole, rather than the
quotation, then it should be placed after the right-hand quotation
mark ("outside the quotation marks"):
I'm sure she
took my sheet music for "Cabaret"!
He asked the
bandleader, "Do you know the song "I Will Always Love You"?
Summary
Quotation marks
are used to signal direct quotations, either from a speaker's mouth
or from a writer's text, to readers. However, quotation marks also
are used to signal lines of poetry, titles of short works, and words
used in uncommon ways. As writers, we need to know how to use quotation
marks, including where to place them, because they provide readers
with necessary information. Using quotation marks appropriately will
help readers more easily understand what you're trying to say.
  
|
