15 Quotations
Quotations should only be used for quoted material: text coming from another source. For other indented block of materials, cf Statements.
15.1 Inline vs block quotations
Some quotations are inline and other are blocks.
Dialectica guidelines. Short quotations (up to about 2 lines) are inline, unless authors specifically want to set them out. Longer quotations (from about 3 lines) are normally block. But they can be inline, especially if they’re basically used as a substitute for the authors’ own words rather than something to be examined or discussed.
15.2 Inline quotations
Inline quotations are encoded with quotation marks ' or ". Don’t use special opening and closing quotation mark characters:
For inline quotations use single or double quotation marks:
| GOOD | output |
|---|---|
This "best practice" is a hack. |
This “best practice” is a hack. |
This 'best practice' is a hack. |
This ‘best practice’ is a hack. |
As you can see, Pandoc automatically converts straight marks into opening or closing ones as needed.
There are two traditions:
US/modern British. Double quotation marks. Closing quotation mark placed after punctuation marks, even if those aren’t in the quote:
She never said the word “traitor.”
traditional British. Single quotation marks. Closing quotation mark before punctuation marks unless these are parts of the quote:
She never said the word ‘traitor’&zmj;.
Pandoc applies the US convention by default. This can be avoided globally by setting the document’s language to en-GB. It can be avoided on a case-by-case basis by using a “zero-width joiner” characters, markdown code &zmj;:
She never said the word 'traitor'&zmj;.She never said the word ‘traitor’&zmj;.
Dialectica guidelines
Dialectica prefers the US/Chicago convention for quoted material, that is double quote. Exception: you can use single quotes for special uses other than quoting material (see ‘mention’ below).
15.2.1 Quoting words (mention)
When a word or expression is used not with its usual meaning but to denote that word or expression itself, we use quotation marks or italics.
I can’t stand the word ‘scrumptious’.
I can’t stand the word scrumptious.
Don’t use italics if the word is scare-quoted, put a distance, quoted from some other person’s use, etc. Italics are only appropriate if we’re talking of the word or expression italicized.
Dialectica guidelines. If references to a word or words are common throughout the paper, as in e.g. linguistics papers, italics are recommended. It’s often best to distinguish mention from quoted material:
use italics or single quotation marks for mentions. Example:
The predicate ‘gave \(x\) to \(y\)’ has three argument places.
if using single quotation marks, do not bring punctuation marks inside.
The verbs ‘know’, ‘believe’ are cognitive verbs. We need another notion than ‘justice’.
Scare quotes are like quoted material, not mention.
Make sure the paper is consistent in its choices.
15.2.2 Quotations within quotations
If you must use quotation marks within quotation marks, use different ones:
| GOOD | output |
|---|---|
"This 'word' is quoted." |
“This ‘word’ is quoted.” |
'This "word" is quoted.' |
‘This “word” is quoted.’ |
If you try to put double quotes with double quotes, Pandoc doesn’t output them correctly.
| BAD | output |
|---|---|
"This "word" is quoted." |
“This”word” is quoted.” |
It is best to impose the rule unless it is imperative to use the same quotes.
If you do need to embed the same quotation marks within themselves, use HTML entitles:
| GOOD | output |
|---|---|
"This “word” is quoted" |
“This”word” is quoted” |
'This ‘word’ is quoted' |
‘This ’word’ is quoted’ |
15.3 Block quotations
Quotations are marked by either starting a paragraph with > and indenting it, or by starting each line of the paragraph with >, or simply having the first line starting with >
This is a quotation. The second sentence is on an indented line.
This is another quotation. The second sentence is on a line starting with
>.
This is quotation in the lazy style. The second line isn’t even indented or starting with
>.
> This is a quotation.
The second sentence is on an indented line.
> This is another quotation.
> The second sentence is on a line starting with `>`.
> This is quotation in the lazy style.
The second line isn't even indented or starting with `>`.For readability avoid the lazy style.
The quotation citation can be included at the end or in a footnote. If indicated at the end, it should come after the dot of the quotation’s last sentence.
GOOD I am happy. (Doe 2020)
BAD I am happy (Doe 2020).
GOOD I am sad.1
> GOOD I am happy. [@doe_j:2020]
> BAD I am happy [@doe_j:2020].
> GOOD I am sad.[^doe-quotation]
[^doe-quotation]: @doe_j:2020Distinguish clearly one quotation with several paragraphs from several consecutive quotations. If, for instance, your template sets out quotations in boxes, you want a single two-paragraphs quotation to come out in one box, not two. Continuing paragraphs are marked by an indentation of 2 spaces or by prefixing intervening empty lines with >:
Suppose this is a quotation’s first paragraph.
This second paragraph (indented) is part of the same quotation.
Suppose this is a new quotation’s first paragraph.
This second paragraph (marked with
>prefixes) is part of the same quotation.
> Suppose this is a quotation's first paragraph.
This second paragraph (indented) is part of the same quotation.
> Suppose this is a new quotation's first paragraph.
>
> This second paragraph (marked with `>` prefixes)
> is part of the same quotation.Beware: if you use indentation, make it two spaces only. Four spaces indentation is used for code blocks (blocks of computer language).
Several but consecutive quotations are instead separated by an empty line:
This is a first quotation.
This is a second quotation that directly follows the first.
> This is a first quotation.
> This is a second quotation that directly follows the first.Note that the second quotation starts with > and isn’t indented.
You can have quotations within quotations.
As someone said once:
The life unexamined isn’t worth living.
> As someone said once:
>
> > The life unexamined
> > isn't worth living.Dialectica guidelines
If the quote is longer than 4 lines, use block quotation.
- no double marks
- period goes before reference
> [block quotation]. [@doe_j:2020, 20]Result:
[block quotation]. (Doe 2020, 20)
15.3.1 Troubleshooting
Problem. The quotation or parts of it comes out in computer-language font.
Solution. You’ve indented a block of your quotation by four spaces. Use two instead.