Quotation Marks - writers question

[neonlyte]

Why do some publishers use 'single' quotation marks, and other use "double" quotation marks? Is it just a style thing or does it actually save space in a work largely of dialogue.

Should one be checking the publisher you are submitting to and amend the ms accordingly?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Why do some publishers use 'single' quotation marks, and other use "double" quotation marks? Is it just a style thing or does it actually save space in a work largely of dialogue.

Should one be checking the publisher you are submitting to and amend the ms accordingly?

Morning, Neon. It's a US/UK style thing.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[neonlyte]

Morning, Neon. It's a US/UK style thing.

Rumple Foreskin

Is that all!!

Paranoia... damn, that's one more excuse to cross off on 'The Reasons for Rejection" list.

 

[Vermilion]

Morning, Neon. It's a US/UK style thing.

Rumple Foreskin

Actually I think it's a publishing house style dictate thing. I've seen both used in the UK...

x
V

 

[neonlyte]

Hmmm... I think I'm with you V.

Four books to hand, the 2 UK and 1 Canadian published are all single quotes, the USA published is double quotes though I do know the Editor in Chief of the USA publishing house is English

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Hmmm... I think I'm with you V.

Four books to hand, the 2 UK and 1 Canadian published are all single quotes, the USA published is double quotes though I do know the Editor in Chief of the USA publishing house is English

Just a note to clarify that by UK I mean most of the English speaking countries of the Commonwealth. There is, of course, no enforcement authority when it comes to English usage, publishers can do whatever they wish.

In the US, the AP Stylebook and especially the Chicago Manual of Style are the leading arbiters of usage. Can't recall what the AP says, but the CMS mentions that quotation makr usage varies between US and UK styles. In the US, single-marks are reserved for quotes within quotes.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[neonlyte]

Just a note to clarify that by UK I mean most of the English speaking countries of the Commonwealth. There is, of course, no enforcement authority when it comes to English usage, publishers can do whatever they wish.

In the US, the AP Stylebook and especially the Chicago Manual of Style are the leading arbiters of usage. Can't recall what the AP says, but the CMS mentions that quotation makr usage varies between US and UK styles. In the US, single-marks are reserved for quotes within quotes.

Rumple Foreskin

See... that's my mistake. I assumed English style was "double" whereas it looks as if it is 'single'. It is the "quotes within 'quotes'" issue that brought this up and I hate resorting to italics, it seems to offend many readers.

I'm going to stick to double.

 

[cahab]

Just a note to clarify that by UK I mean most of the English speaking countries of the Commonwealth. There is, of course, no enforcement authority when it comes to English usage, publishers can do whatever they wish.

In the US, the AP Stylebook and especially the Chicago Manual of Style are the leading arbiters of usage. Can't recall what the AP says, but the CMS mentions that quotation makr usage varies between US and UK styles. In the US, single-marks are reserved for quotes within quotes.

Rumple Foreskin

Quite, whereas in the UK single quotes are used because you can use double quotes for quotes within quotes, then in extremis you can use triple quotes for quotes within quotes within quotes, and so on. I don't know what US writers do in the triple quote situation. It isn't one that comes up very often, though. Nevertheless, that is why.

 

[Liar]

Did a quick look at English language books that I have nearby.

They are published by a handful of different US and UK publishers, plus one Australien one.

And they all use the double quote.

So I dunno.

 

[neonlyte]

Did a quick look at English language books that I have nearby.

They are published by a handful of different US and UK publishers, plus one Australien one.

And they all use the double quote.

So I dunno.

Thanks, Liar. Really helpful

 

[Carnevil9]

......I don't know what US writers do in the triple quote situation. It isn't one that comes up very often, though. Nevertheless, that is why.

In those rare instances, I believe the preferred method is double quotes, then single quotes within, and double again for a third level of quotes, then single again for a fourth level, etc. But yes, those are rare situations.......Carney

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

IMHO, outside of a classroom setting, neither one is wrong. It's hard to imagine a publisher, agent, or editor who'd consider it a deal breaking issue unless the submission format guidelines indicate a preference

Rumple Foreskin

 

[CharleyH]

Morning, Neon. It's a US/UK style thing.

Rumple Foreskin

How do you explain Canadians?

 

[Trinique_Fire]

How do you explain Canadians?

You've been missed. Long time no friggin' see.

 

[CharleyH]

You've been missed. Long time no friggin' see.

Still, how does one explain Canadians in regards to grammar?

 

[Trinique_Fire]

Still, how does one explain Canadians in regards to grammar?

Oh that? No clue.

 

[neonlyte]

Still, how does one explain Canadians in regards to grammar?

Is that a rhetorical question, Madame?

 

[CharleyH]

Is that a rhetorical question, Madame?

In a way perhaps, Sir.

 

[glynndah]

How do you explain Canadians?

Rats! I had an answer until you mentioned the grammar thing.

 

[Liar]

Rats! I had an answer until you mentioned the grammar thing.

Like what, a flux in the space/time continuum?

 

[gauchecritic]

Yeah and what about only starting with quotes and not putting them on the end. What's that all about?

(As Oscar Wilde observed "Explaining Canadians is akin to being lost on a storm tossed sea. One is invariably drenched in copious amounts of spume.")

 

[cahab]

Yeah and what about only starting with quotes and not putting them on the end. What's that all about?

That's what you do when a character is telling a story, you open quotes at the start of each paragraph to show it is still a quotation but you don'y close them because they haven't finished speaking.

Honestly it's all mostly logical.

 

[gauchecritic]

That's what you do when a character is telling a story, you open quotes at the start of each paragraph to show it is still a quotation but you don'y close them because they haven't finished speaking.

Honestly it's all mostly logical.

I see. (Well not really)

(and I've just remembered, the quote about Canadians isn't about Canadians it's about bukkake)

 

[fifty5]

There's also the 'so called' convention. Proper quotes get double quote marks, but 'public domain' phrases (or similar) are put in single quotes rather than typing out "so called"...

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Heck, I think I know a bit of something here. That's a surprise.

As I understand, it is accepted practice across all US publications - whether book, newspaper or internet - to use double quotes for speech and quotations. Quotations within speech get the single quote treatment and triple quotes make me feel dizzy.

In UK, and other commonwealth countries, it is slightly different. The Times of London, and other serious newspapers, continue to insist on double quotes for speech and quotation. It is the publishing houses, for reasons of readability, that have used single quotes. It is a bit like the web argument about 'white space'.

A fascinating thing about UK publishers - I buy loads of novels at Heathrow - is that UK authors must use the single quote rule but US authors can retain the double quote in UK prints even though the Brits change the spelling. Try buying a UK copy of Ludlum, King, Slaughter or Cornwell. (You can't read Proust on a flight to Boston with free wine).

The 'no-end' quotes is universal. Put as simply as I can, if a character continues to speak and the writer wants to start a new paragraph (fact or fiction), the previous paragraph is left without closing quotaion marks and the next para has an opening set. I've read books where this is tested to destruction, but it is the rule.

Neon, I don't think it matters for submissions. The style editor just changes things when preparing the text for the printer.