Splitting dialogue

[Bluebanzai]

My, this thread in spinning in all kinds of creative orbits.

I did a bit of sourcing, from academic sites. Confirmation of the original rule stated. Also, a more detailed piece exploring the placement of commas and punctuation in relation to speech. Being a borderline nerd, I found the latter really thought-provoking. If anyone's still here for purposes other than mudslinging, they might too.

 

[Voboy]

Not placing a comma before a quotation mark has always made sense to me, but I do it because I know it's the accepted convention.

I'm in the business of reducing confusion. I'm not in the business of being the next ee cummings.

 

[liliput1]

I can't even begin to think of how to respond to this, so I'm just going to raise my vodka tonic glass and say "Cheers!"

I think “fuck off” would also be appropriate at this point.

 

[XerXesXu]

My, this thread in spinning in all kinds of creative orbits.

I did a bit of sourcing, from academic sites. Confirmation of the original rule stated. Also, a more detailed piece exploring the placement of commas and punctuation in relation to speech. Being a borderline nerd, I found the latter really thought-provoking. If anyone's still here for purposes other than mudslinging, they might too.

It's interesting that the University of Sussex says that the University of Hull is wrong. Don't you think?

 

[XerXesXu]

I think “fuck off” would also be appropriate at this point.

He's genuinely unable to think of a plausible response. He deprecates the use of abusive language by Lit members and forgets that he's done so, until I remind him.

 

[liliput1]

I've read the small words in your signature. They seem about right.

Read the small words in my signature.

Refuse to hand it down. Follow me.

Well at least you didn’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.

You’ve been doing backflips trying to make everyone think you’re the smartest person here, and even though most people haven’t bitten, you’ve persisted for pages and pages. I would wonder why that is, if I still gave a shit about anything you think. But maybe some other people want to ask themselves that, assuming they still care.

 

[XerXesXu]

Well at least you didn’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.

You’ve been doing backflips trying to make everyone think you’re the smartest person here, and even though most people haven’t bitten, you’ve persisted for pages and pages. I would wonder why that is, if I still gave a shit about anything you think. But maybe some other people want to ask themselves that, assuming they still care.

If you do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.

My offer remains open. Follow me.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think “fuck off” would also be appropriate at this point.

I feel like hoisting the vodka martini gets the point across, and I enjoy it more.

 

[liliput1]

I feel like hoisting the vodka martini gets the point across, and I enjoy it more.

Never stand between a man and his alcoholic beverage of choice.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

It's interesting that the University of Sussex says that the University of Hull is wrong. Don't you think?

As Blackadder informed us, Hull is one of the two great universities. Sussex just thinks it is, but apes Oxford ('a total dump') in having DPhil degrees and a pile of pretentious wank.

 

[IWroteThis]

I see your problem. You weren't taught English at your school. I understand.

Are you talking to a mirror, or just being a hypocrite?

My school was an emergency, maintained-selective school used to accommodate baby boomers in the rubble following WW2. All the masters were graduate ex-officers from various arms.
My English teacher, specifically, was an ex-officer who on de-mob chose to be a teacher and was given a teaching certificate. He was a graduate of Witwatersrand University.
He opened the batting for SA before the war. You can be sure he was an impressive figure who played a very straight bat.

Ah, thanks for explaining why your education is so lacking. That explains a lot…

 

[XerXesXu]

Are you talking to a mirror, or just being a hypocrite?


Ah, thanks for explaining why your education is so lacking. That explains a lot…

Am I communicating with a sock puppet for thedesignatedvictim? Could be. No wit, no charm, no grace, not yet mastered even common and vulgar abuse.

Please remember that serious people are sitting watching this thread stuffing their mouths with popcorn, and less serious people chomping on mouse heads . They expect to be entertained.

Come on guys, please raise your game.

 

[SimonDoom]

Never stand between a man and his alcoholic beverage of choice.

Especially in the morning.

 

[liliput1]

Especially in the morning.

Interventions are traditionally held in the evening, so I'll allow it.

 

[IWroteThis]

Am I communicating with a sock puppet for thedesignatedvictim? Could be. No wit, no charm, no grace, not yet mastered even common and vulgar abuse.

Please remember that serious people are sitting watching this thread stuffing their mouths with popcorn, and less serious people chomping on mouse heads . They expect to be entertained.

Come on guys, please raise your game.

To be honest, you're not really communicating with anybody. You're just spewing bullshit like an asshole with diarrhea while several of us try to run damage control to protect the newbs who don't know better.

For the record, no, I'm not a sock puppet. This is my one and only account on Literotica. I'm sorry that you can't comprehend being right, and thus not needing to use a bunch of fake accounts to tell yourself that you're right…

 

[Britva415]

There's a suggestion that the conventional rule, while conventional, is nevertheless redundant or confusing.

It is only confusing for people who genuinely don't know the convention, or, to people who deliberately reject it as a convention in order to pretend that they're confused by it.

Honest to GOD - anyone who has read novels by more than ten authors in their life has been exposed to this convention. And what's more, no matter how many commercial novels one has read, one has never, ever come across the thing they're saying is how it should-be.

Unlike the oxford-comma-or-not, this is not a competition between conventions, where neither one is "right" or "wrong." There only is this one. And, since it's a convention and not a rule, they're free to ignore it and write how they want, but, they don't get to pretend that that is any more persuasive than just being a matter of taste.

 

[Voboy]

Unlike the oxford-comma-or-not, this is not a competition between conventions, where neither one is "right" or "wrong." There only is this one. And, since it's a convention and not a rule, they're free to ignore it and write how they want, but, they don't get to pretend that that is any more persuasive than just being a matter of taste.

...to be fair, our two intrepid iconoclasts do claim there are style guides supporting this alternative of theirs. They also defer to the authority of a single colonial ex-soldier who happened to be a really, really good cricket batsman.

I suppose that's... something? Isn't it?

 

[Britva415]

claim

 

[SimonDoom]

...to be fair, our two intrepid iconoclasts do claim there are style guides supporting this alternative of theirs. They also defer to the authority of a single colonial ex-soldier who happened to be a really, really good cricket batsman.

I suppose that's... something? Isn't it?

There are people who claim that the Loch Ness Monster exists.

They present more evidence and authority on behalf of their claim than our intrepid iconoclastic colleagues do on behalf of their claim.

 

[Britva415]

The Bigfoot Manual Of Style

It's blurry, but it says what it says.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

You're just spewing bullshit like an asshole with diarrhea while several of us try to run damage control to protect the newbs who don't know better.

This is the basis for my disdain over interlopers spewing nonsense.

There are many amateur writers who do seek to improve themselves and their writing through the advice offered in this forum. There are many skilled and experienced writers here who endeavor to provide advice that is factual, and which transcends artistic license, preferred formats, stylistic whims, and sheer ignorance.

Those who do not like, or do not want to accept well-established, time proven, and publishing industry defined standards are free to do so here with their own works. They simply should not advocate for others to follow them off their cliff.

 

[SimonDoom]

The Bigfoot Manual Of Style

It's blurry, but it says what it says.

And after all, you can't PROVE it doesn't exist, right?

 

[TheLobster]

they do claim there are style guides supporting this alternative of theirs

We should ask if those style guides are in the room with us right now.

 

[Writer61]

And after all, you can't PROVE it doesn't exist, right?

I prefer the Loch Ness manual of style.

 

[Bluebanzai]

It's interesting that the University of Sussex says that the University of Hull is wrong. Don't you think?

If only the Russell Group of universities were more forthcoming with their guidance we'd know who to believe. Oxford always wins.

Maybe the divergence is simply more evidence of the North/ South divide? - or perhaps of the futility of trying to be absolutist about a live language. I'd never heard the Sussex perspective before but it makes a fair bit of sense...