Direct speech

[irmamar]

I'm studying the vocabulary from a tale. I have a question about the order of a sentence in direct speech. For instance:

"Thank you", said the frog.

Shouldn't it be?:

"Thank you", the frog said.

In another sentence I can see:

"There you are", he said.

Why the subject of the sentence follows the verb in some sentences but not in all of them?

Thanks.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Why the subject of the sentence follows the verb in some sentences but not in all of them?

why does the subject follow?... It's just style, I think. That fact is that the rythym of the sentence "thank you" said the frog is much nicer than the rythym of "thank you" the frog said. They are both correct and interchangeable. However, it would be pretentious or literary to end a sentence with he, so a totally natural pair of sentences would be

"thank you" said the frog
"don't mention it" he said

I think that in the kind of story you are reading, they are alternated for just for variation, so you don't get a tedious repetion of
'bla bla' he said
'bla bla' she replied
'bla bla bla' he said .....

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

why does the subject follow?... It's just style, I think. That fact is that the rythym of the sentence "thank you" said the frog is much nicer than the rythym of "thank you" the frog said. They are both correct and interchangeable. However, it would be pretentious or literary to end a sentence with he, so a totally natural pair of sentences would be

"thank you" said the frog
"don't mention it" he said

I think that in the kind of story you are reading, they are alternated for just for variation, so you don't get a tedious repetion of
'bla bla' he said
'bla bla' she replied
'bla bla bla' he said .....

But sometimes you WOULD say: "blah blah blah" said the frog, as he jumped off of his lily pad and swam away.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

But sometimes you WOULD say: "blah blah blah" said the frog, as he jumped off of his lily pad and swam away.

(He would probably say "croak croak croak") but that is indeed what I said in my post: ... said the frog has a better rythym than .... the frog said.

What's that song? "Ha ha" said the clown ....

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

(He would probably say "croak croak croak") but that is indeed what I said in my post: ... said the frog has a better rythym than .... the frog said.

What's that song? "Ha ha" said the clown ....

Wow - I'm confused. I think it must be time for a nap or something. I had to re-read a few times. Yeah - I agree that it has a nicer rhythm. But I think that I've seen it used both ways, and if it's at a different part of the sentence, it might be worded one way or the others. Don't you think?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Wow - I'm confused. I think it must be time for a nap or something. I had to re-read a few times. Yeah - I agree that it has a nicer rhythm. But I think that I've seen it used both ways, and if it's at a different part of the sentence, it might be worded one way or the others. Don't you think?

Er - yes, that was the gist of my post. Time for a nap, methinks.

[laepelba]

Dang - SORRY, Irmamar - I'm ruining your thread.

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I'm studying the vocabulary from a tale. I have a question about the order of a sentence in direct speech. For instance:

"Thank you," said the frog.

Shouldn't it be?:

"Thank you," the frog said.

In another sentence I can see:

"There you are," he said.

Why the subject of the sentence follows the verb in some sentences but not in all of them?

Thanks.

Las ambas maneras para escribirlo son correctas

Excepto la posición de la coma


"Thank you," said the frog
"Thank you!" said the frog
No sé el porqué, pero me suenan correctas las frases.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by bobjenkins

Las ambas maneras para escribirlo son correctas

Excepto la posición de la coma


"Thank you," said the frog
"Thank you!" said the frog
No sé el porqué, pero me suenan correctas las frases.

Ambas maneras de escribirlo son correctas.

Las dos maneras de escribirlo son correctas

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by chileno

Ambas maneras de escribirlo son correctas.

Las dos maneras de escribirlo son correctas

gracias!

[irmamar]

¿La coma (,) va antes de las comillas (")? No tengo el libro aquí, ya lo miraré.

I guess this construction is only used in written language, isn't it?

Don't worry, Lou Ann, you're not ruining anything.

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by irmamar

¿La coma (,) va antes de las comillas (")? No tengo el libro aquí, ya lo miraré.

I guess this construction is only used in written language, isn't it?

Don't worry, Lou Ann, you're not ruining anything.

Sí

Copio eso de ahí http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000089.htm

Commas with Quotations
Commas are used to set off the "he said/she said" clause. The comma always goes before the quotation marks.

Incorrect: Henrietta asked "Do you want to go with me?"
(Comma must set off "she said" clause.) Incorrect: Henrietta asked", Do you want to go with me?"
(Comma must go before quotation mark.)
Correct: Henrietta asked, "Do you want to go with me?"
Incorrect: "I will go with you", Jane replied.
(Comma must go before quotation mark.)
Correct: "I will go with you, "Jane replied.
Correct: "Anyway," she said, "I have to go."
(Note the pattern when the clause is in the middle.)

A comma is not used to set off a "he said/she said" clause if the part of the quotation preceding the clause ends with a question mark or exclamation point.
Incorrect: "Why did you do that?," he asked.
(Comma not necessary) Correct: "Why did you do that?" he asked.
Correct: "Hey!" he screamed. "Come back here!"
(Note that the question mark or exclamation point goes with the quotation, not with the "he said/she said" clause.)

Como dijo a veces la coma no está dentro de las ""

"I would like," said the frog, "if you could kiss me"

[irmamar]

Thanks, Bob. Miraré el libro, a ver qué dice.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by bobjenkins

"I would like," said the frog, "if you could kiss me"

That's not English

I would like it... if you would kiss me

[chileno]

Spanish it ain't. ;->

(left out the comma on purpose)

[Rusty]

@Bob, The British punctuate differently. The comma goes outside of the quotation mark, like irmamar wrote. So, you're correct, but only on this side of the puddle.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by Rusty

@Bob, The British punctuate differently. The comma goes outside of the quotation mark, like irmamar wrote. So, you're correct, but only on this side of the puddle.

No. "I would like it," said the frog, "if you would kiss me."

Pero poner el punto dentro o fuera, eso es bastante complicado. Si la frase citada es una frase completa, el punto va dentro, pero si es un fragmento va fuera.

She described him as "a nasty piece of work".

Creo que en en-us va dentro siempre.

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by pjt33

No. "I would like it," said the frog, "if you would kiss me."

Pero poner el punto dentro o fuera, eso es bastante complicado. Si la frase citada es una frase completa, el punto va dentro, pero si es un fragmento va fuera.

She described him as "a nasty piece of work".

Creo que en en-us va dentro siempre.

Originally Posted by Rusty

@Bob, The British punctuate differently. The comma goes outside of the quotation mark, like irmamar wrote. So, you're correct, but only on this side of the puddle.

Gracias

[irmamar]

Yes, my book wrote the comma inside, but it's a bit difficult to appreciate it, because it's written like this: ,' (with another font) and you must pay attention or it can go unnoticed.

Thanks.