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Description
Some languages use quotation marks to mark off direct quotes from the rest of the text. English uses the mark " before and after a quote.
- John said, "I do not know when I will arrive."
Quotation marks are not used with indirect quotes.
- John said that he did not know when he would arrive.
When there are many layers of quotes inside of quotes, it might be hard for readers to understand who is saying what. Alternating two kinds of quote marks can help careful readers to keep track of them. In English the outermost quote has double quote marks, and the next quote inside has single marks. The next quote inside of that has double quote marks.
- Mary said, "John said, 'I do not know when I will arrive.' "
- Bob said, "Mary said, 'John said, "I do not know when I will arrive." ' "
Some languages use other kinds of quotation marks: Here are some examples: ‚ ' „ " ‹ › « » ⁊ — .
Examples from the Bible
The examples below show the kind of quote marking used in the ULB.
A quotation with only one layer
A first layer direct quote has double quote marks around it.
So the king replied, "That is Elijah the Tishbite." (2 Kings 1:8 ULB)
Quotations with two layers
A second layer direct quote has single quote marks around it. We have underlined it and the phrase for you to see it clearly.
They asked him, "Who is the man that said to you, 'Pick up your bed and walk'?" (John 5:12 ULB)
… he sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go into the next village. As you enter, you will find a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. If any one asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' say, 'The Lord has need of it.' " (Luke 19:29-31 ULB)
A quotation with three layers
A third layer direct quote has double quote marks around it. We have underlined it for you to see it clearly.
Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.' Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. When God caused me to leave my father's house and travel from place to place, I said to her, 'You must show me this faithfulness as my wife: At every place where we go, say about me, "He is my brother." ' " (Genesis 20:10-13 ULB)
A quotation with four layers
A fourth layer direct quote has single quote marks around it. We have underlined it for you to see it clearly.
They said to him, "A man came to meet us who said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, "Yahweh says this: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you sent men to consult with Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up; instead, you will certainly die.' " ' " (2 Kings 1:5-6 ULB)
Quote Marking Strategies
Here are some ways you may be able to help readers see where each quote starts and ends so they can more easily know who said what.
- Alternate two kinds of quote marks to show layers of direct quotation. English alternates double quote marks and single quote marks.
- Translate one or some of the quotes as indirect quotes in order to use fewer quote marks, since indirect quotes do not need them. (see Direct and Indirect Quotations)
- If a quotation is very long and has many layers of quotation in it, indent the main overall quote, and use quote marks only for the direct quotes inside of it.
Examples of Quote Marking Strategies Applied
- Alternate two kinds of quote marks to show layers of direct quotation as shown in the ULB text below.
They said to him, "A man came to meet us who said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, "Yahweh says this: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you sent men to consult with Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up; instead, you will certainly die.' " ' " (2 Kings 1:6 ULB)
- Translate one or some of the quotes as indirect quotes in order to use fewer quote marks, since indirect quotes do not need them. In English the word "that" can introduce an indirect quote. In the example below, everything after the word "that" is an indirect quote of what the messengers said to the king. Within that indirect quote, there are some direct quotes marked with " and '.
They said to him, "A man came to meet us who said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, "Yahweh says this: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you sent men to consult with Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up; instead, you will certainly die.' " ' " (2 Kings 1:6 ULB)
- They told him that a man came to meet them who said to them, "Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, 'Yahweh says this: "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you sent men to consult with Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up; instead, you will certainly die." ' "
- If a quotation is very long and has many layers of quotation in it, indent the main overall quote, and use quote marks only for the direct quotes inside of it.
They said to him, "A man came to meet us who said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, "Yahweh says this: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you sent men to consult with Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up; instead, you will certainly die.' " ' " (2 Kings 1:6 ULB)
- They said to him,
- A man came to meet us who said to us, "Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, 'Yahweh says this: "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you sent men to consult with Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up; instead, you will certainly die." ' "