There is slight confusion over the British way with quotation
marks. If the quotation is known to be a complete sentence then the full stop (or, indeed, comma) IS included within the quotation.
The two, trans-Atlantic, methods officially are:
- Logical punctuation order (British)
- Conventional punctuation order (generally American)
If I may quote (without marks) from an editing primer:
In most modern British books, a closing quote following a word or phrase usually comes before a full stop, comma or other punctuation.
E.g.: 'Did you enjoy your visit to "the cradle of jazz", as they call it?'
Only when a full sentence (with subject and verb, usually starting with a capital letter) is in quotes does the closing quote come after the full stop or comma.
E.g.: I replied, 'I had a wonderful time.'
'I hated it,' said Fred.
In American English (and quite often in British novels and newspapers) the closing quote always comes after the full stop or comma.
E.g.: 'Did you enjoy your visit to the "cradle of jazz," as they call it?'
'I am,' I began, 'the wrong person to ask.'
In logical (British) order, the second sentence would demand:
'I am', I began, 'the wrong person to ask.'
These are, of course, examples of speech - and invented speech at that. There may be an issue where a British publication quotes text from an American publication. Would it be correct - could it be libellous - to adjust American punctuation in order to quote in a British journal?
- Jeremy Stanford