Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

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