Quick grammar question.

[Esfires]

I'm usually pretty good with syntax, but I'm unsure about something and I thought it best to come and consult the oracles. I have a character (man 1) coming to another character's (man 2) house. Man 2 opens the door and abruptly asks man 1 what he wants.

Man 1 replies, "How about 'hello?'"

My question is in regards to the punctuation at the end of the quote. I think the way I have it above is correct, but I want to make sure I'm right. I have a sneaking worry that it might be more correct as "How about 'hello'?"

Anybody know the rules for this situation?

 

[Culhwch]

I'd make it: "How about, 'Hello'?"

But - don't quote me on that.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Culhwch's suggestion is how I'd do it. The question mark is separate to the quote, so it must be on the outside of the quote marks. He's not quoting a question, he's asking a question by using a quote. You don't necessarily need the comma before hello, but I think it's tidier to have it there.

When it comes to punctuation, there are often multiple ways to structure it. So there isn't only one right answer out there but multiple ones.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

The question relates to the whole sentence, not the hello, so the question mark is where cul has it. I wouldn't have the comma, though, because the hello isn't, actuslly, dialogue. I suspect it is grammatically right, though, i just think it interrupted the flow a tiny bit.

Actually had a muse on that, i think the comma should stay.

 

[HareBrain]

To be honest I'd just put

"How about hello?"

Unnecessary quotes and commas just muddy the thing up, in my opinion, and even without them it's very obvious what he means. (But if you want them, Cul's is right.)

 

[Fishbowl Helmet]

Chorus for Cul.

 

[Bowler1]

"How about hello?"

My 2c, or...

I'm 50:50 on a comma after the about and depends on how you say it - so it could also be - "How about, hello?"

 

[Culhwch]

To be honest I'd just put

"How about hello?"

I do think this would work as well. Could even make it, "How about a hello?", which I think negates the need to wonder whether another set of quotes is required.

 

[Esfires]

Sounds like there's no consensus. I think I'll just leave it as it is for now and see if it looks any different to me in editing. Thanks, guys.

 

[Ursa major]

With multiple quotes, shouldn't** it be:

"How about, 'Hello'?"
​

The question word, how, is in the dialogue and so should really be outside the quotes containing the hello. I will admit that this doesn't look very good.


However, the version suggested by Cul in his second post

"How about a hello?"
​

not only looks better, but seems a far better response to the question, "What do you want?"


Now all you have to worry about is how you pronounce this. Should it be 'uh hello' or 'ay hello'? (And someone's bound to suggest 'an hello'....)




** - To complicate matters more, I understand that UK and US rules about punctuation marks and quotes differs:

• British (aka logical) style: "Carefree", in general, means "free from care or anxiety".
• American style: "Carefree", in general, means "free from care or anxiety."

 

[Esfires]

This may sound nitpicky, but "a hello" doesn't work for me was well as "hello." It doesn't seem right for either the way the character speaks or the rhythm of the text.

And it isn't exactly a big deal, I suppose. It's not like my manuscript is going to be rejected because I didn't have the single quote in the right place.

 

[Ursa major]

This may sound nitpicky, but "a hello" doesn't work for me was well as "hello." It doesn't seem right for either the way the character speaks or the rhythm of the text.

It doesn't sound nitpicky at all. These are your characters and you know them far better than we ever could.

And if a character wouldn't say something a particular way, even you shouldn't force them to do so.

 

[A. S. Behsam]

I'd make it: "How about, 'Hello'?"

But - don't quote me on that.

I had something like this in my story, and my editor edited it just the way you wrote.

 

[Esfires]

I had something like this in my story, and my editor edited it just the way you wrote.

Sounds like a good enough authority for me. I'll go with it, thanks.

 

[mosaix]

I always remember a question my English teacher set at school. He said write a sentence that ends ?'?".

Answer?

"Has anyone seen the ship 'Where's Sally?'?"