Thread: How do Americans feel about UK spelling?
View Single Post
Old 09-27-2010, 12:52 PM   #167
timfrost
Tim Frost
timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.timfrost writes the songs that make the whole world sing.
 
timfrost's Avatar
 
Posts: 37
Karma: 40000
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Norfolk, England and Grenada, West Indies
Device: Kindle 3
Quote:
Originally Posted by James_Wilde View Post
I've been abroad so long I've obviously missed something, Tim. Since when did single quotes replace double quotes for direct speech? I use double quotes for both direct speech and citations, as in the messages above, and have done since schooldays. Admittedly schooldays were 48-61 years ago...
James, I think single quotes in the UK came in with the paperback. Around 60 years ago. That said, I was taught double quotes at school like you. Along with lots of other strange punctuations like 'Oxford-street'.

Lynne Truss wrote a great book on it all called 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves'.

Tim
timfrost is offline   Reply With Quote