comma after phrase in quotes (quotation): as "adjective",

Hi there,

Following on from a recent post about the use of commas and scare quotes (I'm using the AmE commas inside the quotes), I'm wondering what to do with a listing comma and scare quotes. For example,

The competitors were described as "adjective", "adjective", and "adjective". (commas inside quotes)

or

The competitors were described as "adjective," "adjective," and "adjective". (commas outside quotes)

Thanks.

The rules for putting punctuation inside or outside quotes are not affected by the reason for using quotes. They apply equally to scare quotes, quotes used to refer to a word as a word, and quotes used to repeat speech.

In AE, punctuation almost always goes inside the quotes. The second alternative would be correct if the final period were also inside its closing quotation marks.

By the way, I think the descriptions of the alternatives (in parentheses after each one) are reversed. It looks to me that the commas are outside the quotes in the first one, inside them in the second.

Hello

I'm confused :confused:

Why do you need quotes at all? They are not necessary, and just serve to clutter things up. You need simply write (for example) The competitors were described as lean, mean, and overpaid.

You would use quotes if you described them as "lean," "mean" and "overpaid" when they were quotations from a commentator or if they were scare quotes for people who were in actuality obese, complacent and paid not a cent.

If these are scare quotes, not reported speech, then I would not scare each adjective, but rather scare the combination.
The competitors were described as "adjective, adjective, and adjective".

Copyright said:

You would use quotes if you described them as "lean," "mean" and "overpaid" when they were quotations from a commentator or if they were scare quotes for people who were in actuality obese, complacent and paid not a cent.

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But isn't this an example of reported speech? 'The commentator described them as lean, mean and overpowering.' compared to: The commentator said, "Those competitors are lean, mean and overdressed."

It's Friday afternoon . . . :confused:

heypresto said:

But isn't this an example of reported speech? 'The commentator described them as lean, mean and overpowering.' compared to: The commentator said, "Those competitors are lean, mean and overdressed."

It's Friday afternoon . . . :confused:

Click to expand...

Yes, I guess it is ... on both counts (and even later than afternoon in Hong Kong). :) I was too focused on the descriptions.

But if it is a real quote, I would still be inclined to use quotation marks to make it obvious that they're quotes rather than the writer's words or paraphrases.

I like panjandrum's idea of putting all three in one set of quotes if the comments were made by one commentator. If they are three descriptions from three commentators, however, I would use three sets of quotes. And if one commentator said two things and another said ... well, you get the idea. :D