Re: should . be followed by doublespace?
On Wed, Aug 07, 2002 at 01:23:27PM -0400, Daniel Barclay wrote:
>> From: Thanasis Kinias <tkinias@optimalco.com>
>>> ... the placement of quotation marks inside of punctuation come to
>>> mind.
>
>> I've seen that a lot for computer-related quotes. Is that
>> more common in UK English for non-computer-related quoting?
>My impression is that quotation marks inside punctuation is more common.
>That said, I seem to remember being taught the opposite at school.
[snip]
Editors spend an inordinate amount of time on the point, calling
`inside'
`U.S. style' & `logical' `British style'. See almost any stylebook or
usage authority such as H. W. Fowler's _Modern English Usage_ (any
incarnation). . . . In Fowler you may need the keywords `stops',
`punctuation', & `inverted commas'.
I have never observed a rational defense of U.S. style (`looks better
that way' does not qualify), & for 20+ years in D. C. enforced Brit
style in a science news magazine -- with never once an objection from
either side of the Atlantic.
A great mystery to me is why computer programmers -- surely logical
bigots while programming -- so easily abandon logical style when
punctuating everyday prose.
As for space between sentences, in recent years I find more & more
confusion caused by the single space. Consider `. . . meanwhile, back
in D. C. Power to the people . . .' (That's 2 sentences. See also
`D. C. Power Lab' in the Jargon File.) . . . Oh, I could cite better
-- worse? -- examples from an oil & gas report I'm editing right now,
but I won't.
Wendell Cochran
West Seattle
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