Dialogue Punctuation vs. Capitalization...

[-K2-]

Here are a couple sample lines of dialogue, of which I will post my question after:

1. "Are you going or not?" One of the guards shouted at Rokka-Kae, making her nervously chuckle.
2. "Yeah-yeah," Rokka-Kae barked back trying not to laugh. "Gimme’ a minute, or you go in there!"
3. "Go now," one of the guards began, "otherwise we'll toss you in there!"

Example No.2 & 3 I believe are correct regarding capitalization. Example No.1 however, I believe is correct (regarding capitalizing 'One' falling after sentence ending punctuation), however, having found conflicting examples on the web I thought I would ask here. An exclamation point I suspect would yield the same results. Using No.3 as an example again, changing the comma (though results in the second comma changing to a period):

3A. "Go now!" One of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"
alternately:
3B. "Go now," one of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"

Thanks for your educated input!

K2

 

[Jo Zebedee]

The only grammatical thing I can actually do! Huzzah!

1. Depends, but I'm inclined to say it's incorrect. The ? replaces either a comma or full stop, and which one depends on WHEN the guard shouted.

"Are you going or not?" one of the guards shouted at Rokka-Kae - in this instance the guard is shouting the line to Rokka-Kae, and shouted is the dialogue tag to denote that. (The ? replaces a comma here)

"Are you going or not?" One of the guards shouted at Rokka-Kae - in this case the shouted would be a separate action to the words ie they shouted something else at her.

However, if this was the case, it should really be

"Are you going or not?" said XXX.

One of the guards shouted at Rokka-Kae...

So, if the words are shouted to Rokka-Kae by one of the guards, is should be one, not One.

2. Is perfectly fine.

3. Is also fine, depends if you're happy for Go now, otherwise we'll toss you in there! to be a single sentence.

Here are a couple sample lines of dialogue, of which I will post my question after:

1. "Are you going or not?" One of the guards shouted at Rokka-Kae, making her nervously chuckle.
2. "Yeah-yeah," Rokka-Kae barked back trying not to laugh. "Gimme’ a minute, or you go in there!"
3. "Go now," one of the guards began, "otherwise we'll toss you in there!"

Example No.2 & 3 I believe are correct regarding capitalization. Example No.1 however, I believe is correct (regarding capitalizing 'One' falling after sentence ending punctuation), however, having found conflicting examples on the web I thought I would ask here. An exclamation point I suspect would yield the same results. Using No.3 as an example again, changing the comma (though results in the second comma changing to a period):

3A. "Go now!" One of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"
alternately:
3B. "Go now," one of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"

Thanks for your educated input!

K2

 

[HareBrain]

3B is correct, 3A is not. Jo covered everything else.

 

[-K2-]

Just to make sure I understand this... After an exclamation point or a question-mark, if the subject making the statement is mentioned, then the first word after should be lowercase?

Is that correct? IOW:

3B. "Go now," one of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"-- correct
3B. "Go now!" one of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"-- correct
3B. "Go now!" One of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"-- incorrect
3B. "Go now?" one of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"-- correct
3B. "Go now?" One of the guards began. "Otherwise, we'll toss you in there!"-- incorrect

K2

 

[HareBrain]

That's right. ! and ? can act like either a comma or a full stop in this context.

The best way of thinking about it, for my money, is to read it aloud and see what feels like a single sentence.

 

[-K2-]

Thanks everyone for your help!

K2

 

[Matteo]

For what it's worth, I agree with Jo.

By the way, surely it's "chuckle nervously" ;-)

 

[tinkerdan]

I think one of the problem with this the excess of words between the identity of the speaker and the tag and the dialogue.

"Are you going or not?" One of the guards shouted at Rokka-Kae, making her nervously chuckle.

I would go with this(and since you aren't identifying the guard...).

"Are you going or not?" the guard shouted, making Rokka-Kae chuckle nervously.

I suppose it could be worse:
"Are you going or not?" one of the guards, standing across the narrow corridor against another set of bars to an empty cell, shouted at Rokka-Kae, who looked down and chuckled nervously, shoulders hunched and shaking.