Every reader had their own version of what those words “look” and sound like when someone says them while looking away. more can be added for specificity on a case by case basis.
But yeah, I love those inverted exclamation marks and question marks! Makes it much easier. I'm learning sign language (having gone deaf) and you signal a question at the start by your posture - leaning forwards and raising your eyebrows so it's clear a question is coming. Then the question word - why, what, etc - is the very last sign in the sentence.
I didn't know that about BSL. I was talking to someone about it recently, and that made me want to learn. And clearly, we should have some equivalent in written English. Mandarin has a final word to turn a written statement into a question.
Yes, I learned Japanese years ago and they put their question word at the end of thr sentence, too. It means I've already got a slot in my brain to ask questions that way, whereas it can feel a bit odd for other learners! Apparently almost all European languages - except certain signs and maybe there's a couple of other exceptions - put their question word at the start. Whereas everywhere else in the world, putting the question word at the end is the norm. Fascinating how languages evolve!
Spot on. I've always thought this. I don't use speech tags, and try to convey an atmosphere that makes it obvious how a dialogue is spoken, without explaining it, which I think works well (others would have to be the judge of that, I can't truly know, as I already know the intended tone). But when I read tags in books, I'm often annoyed that I got the explanation after I read the dialogue, and feel I need to read it again in the intended tone. I like your idea of upfront tags.
One of my favourites is, I think, from H. L. Mencken ‘“Shut up,” he explained.”
These posts have been great! Thank you!
Stick with said or follow it by an “action tag”.
“I don’t know what I am doing.” She looked away.
Every reader had their own version of what those words “look” and sound like when someone says them while looking away. more can be added for specificity on a case by case basis.
Has not had but the edit button is glitching.
First the second-person plural. Now this? Y'all, why aren't we just writing in Spanish already? ¡Estamos embarazados! and false cognates be damned.
Bet you could get away with adopting the inverted punctuation in a short story. Could you do it for a whole novel?
I'd go for something like:
He caught her gaze in the rear view mirror and whined, "Just... Get out of the car."
But yeah, I love those inverted exclamation marks and question marks! Makes it much easier. I'm learning sign language (having gone deaf) and you signal a question at the start by your posture - leaning forwards and raising your eyebrows so it's clear a question is coming. Then the question word - why, what, etc - is the very last sign in the sentence.
I didn't know that about BSL. I was talking to someone about it recently, and that made me want to learn. And clearly, we should have some equivalent in written English. Mandarin has a final word to turn a written statement into a question.
Yes, I learned Japanese years ago and they put their question word at the end of thr sentence, too. It means I've already got a slot in my brain to ask questions that way, whereas it can feel a bit odd for other learners! Apparently almost all European languages - except certain signs and maybe there's a couple of other exceptions - put their question word at the start. Whereas everywhere else in the world, putting the question word at the end is the norm. Fascinating how languages evolve!
Spot on. I've always thought this. I don't use speech tags, and try to convey an atmosphere that makes it obvious how a dialogue is spoken, without explaining it, which I think works well (others would have to be the judge of that, I can't truly know, as I already know the intended tone). But when I read tags in books, I'm often annoyed that I got the explanation after I read the dialogue, and feel I need to read it again in the intended tone. I like your idea of upfront tags.