Question Regardig Quotes

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Anonymous

#447155 Wed, 28 Nov 07 12:02 AM

Can someone please help me. I'm trying to figure out the correct way of typing this:

She asked us: what do we think?

She asked us, "What do we think?"

I want to use the quotes but keep telling myself, it's not really a quote since it doesn't read, "What do you think?"

Can someone please tell me the correct way of doing this? Thank you so much!

Anonymous

Clive

#447164 Wed, 28 Nov 07 12:27 AM

Hi,

Can someone please help me. I'm trying to figure out the correct way of typing this:

She asked us: what do we think?

She asked us, "What do we think?"

I want to use the quotes but keep telling myself, it's not really a quote since it doesn't read, "What do you think?"

If you want to use quotation marks, you need to quote something.

Direct speech - She asked us, "What do you think?"

Indirect speech - She asked us what we thought.

You need to choose one or the other.

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (21,212)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

Anonymous

#447199 Wed, 28 Nov 07 02:34 AM

I'm sorry, I didn't express myself correctly. I didn't mean that I literally wanted to use quotes but that I kept wondering if I should use them. Since it's not a direct quote, it looks akward to me.

I'm transcribing dictation and the speaker actually says:

After she showed us around, she asked us: what do we think? Do we like it?

After she showed us around, she asked us, "What do we think?" "Do we like it?"

I'm just not sure which way to type it. Should I use a colon and no quotes, or should I go ahead and add the quotes.

I have to type verbatim. Based on the rest of the dictation, it does appear as if the speaker was asked, "What do you think?" That's not what he says, though, so I'm trying to find out how to type what he said.

Thanks again!

Anonymous

Colons

Grammar Geek

#447236 Wed, 28 Nov 07 04:56 AM

I'm sorry, I'm confused.

You are typing up what someone dictated, and this is what that person said, exactly, in describing an experience in which "she" showed the speaker around? But "she" didn't say "What do we think?" She probably asked the speaker "What do you think?" -- and it's only as this person is describing it [and what you have to transcribe] that it's gotten changed to "what we we think"? Do I have that right?

It sure would be easier if you could write "and she asked us what we thought and whether we liked it."

What about italics? After she showed us around, she asked us What do we think? Do we like it? I'm on crazy about this solution either, but it may be better than either of the others.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (15,595)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Anonymous

#447252 Wed, 28 Nov 07 05:43 AM

Yep, that's exactly right. The speaker changed it from "you" to "we" which it's why it's so confusing. I wish I could just change it to "What do you think?" but it has to be verbatim. I like the italics idea, but is that proper grammar? I don't know, which is why I'm asking for help Smile [:)]

Thanks!

Anonymous

Grammar, Proper Grammar

Grammar Geek

#447412 Wed, 28 Nov 07 02:13 PM

It's not a matter of grammar, it's a matter of style.

Transcription people probably have their own style for this. People do not speak grammatically, and to speak as though giving a direct quote but actually changing the pronouns is probably not that uncommon.

The two primary rules of style are 1) be clear, and 2) be consistent. (Since using a completely unique style will affect clarity, you don't have completely free reign.)

Anything that meets both of those rules would be fine. But do you have other transcriptionists you can ask?

Grammar Geek

Grammar, Nouns, Pronouns