Dec 12 2007
Quotes Within Quotes Within Quotes
Everyone knows you put quoted material within double quotation marks. But what happens when there’s a quote within a quote? The answer is, use single quotation marks, as in …
He said, “I heard the woman whisper, ‘If you ever touch me again, you’ll lose a finger.’”
Notice that when both quotes end at the same time, the single quotation mark is followed immediately by the double quotation mark.
But what happens when there’s a quote within a quote within a quote? Simple: just keep rotating between single and double quotation marks. For example:
He said, “I heard the woman whisper, ‘If you ever again say, “I think you’re just being emotional,” I’ll divorce you.’” (Think of a box within a box within a box.)
I remember telling my 8th grade English teacher that when there’s a quote within a quote within a quote, we should start with triple quotation marks rather than double quotation marks. We could then use double quotation marks for quotes within quotes, I reasoned, and single quotation marks for quotes with quotes within quotes and eliminate all the craziness of switching back and forth.
“Then what about quotes within quotes within quotes within quotes?” she asked.
I said that sort of thing would have to be outlawed. No civilized society, I explained, should allow anything so asinine.
She did not appreciate the brilliance of my idea and knocked me down a half grade.
