Questions tagged [italics]
Use for questions about italics (In typography, italic type is a cursive typeface based on a stylized form of calligraphic handwriting)
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Using bold or italic text in quotes
If the text I am quoting is italicised or bold, does my quote need to include this special font treatment? If I want to emphasise something in the quote, can I make words italic?
For example, ...
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How do you mark English words originally used by a non-native author in an English translation?
An artist has written memoirs in his native language with some English words and phrases scattered here and there (some might even have spelling / grammar mistakes). His memoirs are translated into ...
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Quotation marks or italics when quoting the title of a painting ("The plaque read...")
After much research, I'm stumped. Do I use quotes or italics for the last word in the following sentence?
There's a painting of a yacht with a gold plate on the lower frame that reads Facets.
As ...
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How do you refer to letters of the alphabet?
If you're talking about a particular letter of the alphabet, how do you format it? Do you just write it? Do you put quotes around it? Do you italicize it? Do you just have to write it out?
Does the ...
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What is the best way to mention a word: italics, quotes, or single-quotes (apostrophes)?
If I want to mention the word "furlong", for example, should I use furlong, "furlong", or 'furlong'? Also, am I correct in putting the punctuation outside the quotes?
Example:
...
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What is the accepted style for using a foreign term followed by its translation?
How do you show a foreign term followed by its translation? Is the foreign term placed in quotation marks with its translation italicized or the other way around? Style guides favor but don't always ...
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What's the best way to format a loan word in an English sentence?
Say I have a word from another language that I am very fond of and I want to just plop it in a sentence without trying to translate it. Should I use italics? Example:
I've never cared for winter ...
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Is the word Nazi italicized in MLA?
Recently my writing tutor told me any word in a foreign language should be italicized.
I was unsure if MLA was important to answer this question; just in case, I've included it in the title.
I'm ...
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Should sayings within a quote be set apart by single quotes, italics, or in some other way?
In the following quote:
“We try not to be overly flashy when taking solos,” band leader
Ricardo said. “The principles that come to mind are ‘don't blow all
your cookies in the first bar’ and ‘keep it ...
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How to punctuate one word quotes in a sentence
Please tell me which one is correct...
They said "no" because the children needed an adult with them.
OR
They said, "No," because the children needed an adult with them.
OR
They said no because ...
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Are software titles italicized?
The titles of freestanding works (books, movies, plays, albums, etc.) are italicized; smaller parts within these works (chapters in a book, articles in a magazine, songs within an album) are not (they ...
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Is it acceptable to italicize a compound descriptor instead of hyphenating it?
I'm having a disagreement about how to treat a compound descriptor like "This is one of those everyone-shut-up-and-go-away kind of days."
It has been claimed to me that this descriptor can just as ...
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The use of italics/citation marks for metalanguage
I've been taught that when words are used metalinguistically, they should be marked either with italics or with double quotation marks. Examples:
Dog is a noun.
Verlan is the name of a kind of ...
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Is [sic] italicized in a quoted sentence that is italicized?
Is [sic] italicized in a quoted sentence that is italicized, and should I use [sic] after the word gonna?
"If we let you stay here, we're gonna [sic] get phone calls all night."
Or should it ...
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Usage of italics in writing
In which cases is a word, or a group of words written in italics?
Is italics used in specific contexts, or it is quite normal to write words in italics?
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Should one italicise an italicised phase within a book title?
In UK/Commonwealth styles, is there a generally accepted convention for whether or not one italicises or renders roman an italicised phrase within the title of a book?
My specific example, which may ...
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Quotation marks vs Italics for sourcing articles
I wanted to source an online article (just a regular one, not part of a longer work) and was unsure whether to use quotation marks or italics. I know that it is generally advised to use quotation ...
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Capitalization for unique title and quotations trickiness in inner thought
So, I have been writing and wonder whether to capitalize the word "master."
No rush here, I know that without name the word like this won't be capitalized. But if it use as a substitute for ...
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Capitalization after an internal dialogue prefix tag [duplicate]
Do you capitalize the sentence after an internal dialogue (a.k.a. thought bubble) that uses a prefix tag? That is, in an example like:
Will thought, My father must not like me.
Or do you do:
Will ...
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Should you include the word "the" inside a quoted/emphasized words? [closed]
I'm having a bit of trouble regarding whether to include the word "the" inside a quoted words.
For example:
None was known when the Great Cataclysm had happened on the other hand.
Should I ...
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Pro bono as italics?
I am using the words pro bono in a letter addressed to my line manager using MS Word. My query is: does pro bono needs to be typed using italics format?
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How to highlight model or category names in scientific text (if they are ordinary words)?
For example, there are two sentences
The government is considering that the crisis will follow a soft scenario ...
Dr. Jones has calculated soft and hard crisis scenarios. The input data was ...
In ...
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Quotation marks or italics for foreign word...or both in certain context?
When a foreign word is used for the first time in text, it is generally italicized (or put in quotation quotes as an alternative). Is it ever correct to use both italics and quotation marks when the ...
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Italics Usage in Dictionaries
I've only recently realized that the example sentences in many English dictionaries are italicized. And I've yet to find out any other medium that uses italics in examples.
What is the history of ...
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Name of text describing an action in a play
I'm trying to find the name of an element of playwriting which describes actions performed by actors in a play. For example,
Let me see.
Picks up skull
Alas, poor Yorick!
The element I'm referring ...
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Do I need to use quotes when referring to something? [closed]
Do I need to use quotes here?
You can find those terms under the separate section called “Earthquakes” later in this chapter.
If no quotes are needed, must the word Earthquake still start with a ...
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How to use foreign words in English writing
Nonna is a word that means grandmother in Italian. If I italicize in the beginning like this: "Nine years ago, nonna (Italian grandmother), ..." then I don't have to continue italicizing the word ...
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Quotation marks or italics? His last words were "clock" and "good-bye." I could not find a definitive answer here
Quotation marks or italics? His last words were "clock" and "good-bye." Clock and good-bye are used as words and are not quotations, but they are not unusual or in need of emphasis so I don't see the ...
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Should there be a comma after 'I thought' if this phrase is followed by an italicised thought?
For example, if writing:
I thought, she may miss him, but tonight you can't tell.
should there be a comma after 'I thought', or any other punctuation for that matter? I know commas are often used ...
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On a resume, should I italicize the name of a magazine when I'm referring to it *as* an employer? [closed]
In an earlier version of this question, I confused the issue by using the word company instead of employer. Strictly speaking, the magazine is not a company, but I was considered an employee of the ...
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Italicizing a Title Which Includes a Ship Name
I am writing an essay for school on the book The Wreck of the Whale-ship Essex for school. However, the Essex, as a ship, should also be italicized. Should I write it as "The Wreck of the Whale-ship ...
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Indicate title without italics or underline
How do you indicate the title of a major work if neither italics nor underline are available? Would you fall back on quotes or should you use something else?
Text messages are an example of where ...
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What is the correct use of hyphens and capitals in "Big Brother style pop competition"? [duplicate]
Not sure it technically should have any, but a Big Brother style pop competition feels like quite a mouthful as it is so I’m wondering whether hyphens might help.
Also want to check the ...
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Use of italics versus quotes for terms [closed]
Something I find a little tricky is whether to use italics or quotes for terms. In most cases, the terms I cite are not used repeatedly, but are one-time mentions.
So, for example, we have the ...
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Using words used as words: Why am I confusing myself? [closed]
Humans, naturally, prefer simple over complex.
I would think that in the above sentence, both simple and complex are words used as words. (Though, perhaps, not as clear as it is in the preceding ...
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When italicizing a noun to emphasize, italicize the article or not?
When I want to emphasize a noun by italicizing, do I need to italicize the article of the noun or not? For example, is this correct?
"Is it an apple?"
"No, it is an orange."
Or, ...
CommunityBot
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Quotes, italics, parentheses, and/or regular for translations [closed]
Okay Stack Exchange, here's the big ask:
What do you all recommend? My manager wants to know if this is stylistically appropriate. No specific manual we're looking at here. Just what would you guys ...
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Are the names of statues italicized in a books? [closed]
Writing a novel.
Are the names of statues italicized in a books?
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Use of italics and BrE single quotation marks
I'd like to know when to use italics and when to use single quotation marks should be used. For example:
The word he was looking for was ‘abjuration’.
vs
The word he was looking for was ...
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Should punctuation surrounding italicised words be italicised?
This might be a tad off-topic, but I am looking for an English-specific answer.
When I’m using italic text to denote emphasis or a quotation, should the italicisation extend to the punctuation ...
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Putting a title in quotes -- is it still italicized?
When referencing the title of something (which is normally italicized) in quotes, is it written like this:
David Guggenheim uses the title "Waiting for Superman"
or like this?
David Guggenheim ...
CommunityBot
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Why are vessel names italicized?
Can anyone tell me the reason vessel names, boats or spaceships for example, always appear in italics?
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Do you italicize the contraction attached to a foreign word?
I know you italicize words in other languages when writing. But what if you add a contraction? Is it abuela's or abuela's?
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using a brand name in MLA style
Should a brand name be italicized when used in a MLA-style paper? For example, tin he following paragraph:
Future Shop, which offered technology supplies, was closed and in an
statement the CEO ...
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Mention vs use of a word
In some cases it's not intuitive whether a word is mentioned or used, so it's difficult determining whether to write the word as normal or to use italics / quotation marks.
Two examples:
When you ...
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Whence “emphasis mine”?
Writers often highlight part of a quotation to emphasize the point they're making. They use a variety of phrases to indicate that the emphasis did not appear in the original text. In order of current ...
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Editing quotations with square brackets and italics at the same time
I have the following sentence from the Time Magazine, which I use as an example sentence on a flashcard:
At its best, Losers is a sluggish, stream-of-concupiscence exposition
of what Sartre ...
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Possessives of a title in italics
If one writes a word in italics, say the name of a movie, and wants to put apostrophe s at the end to form the possessive, is the apostrophe s italicised with the title? Chinatown's or Chinatown's?
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Sarcasm within thoughts
When I write sarcasm, I put it in italic writing, like; what a beautiful sweater. I also do this when writing third person perspective characters like; he's ugly. But what if the character is thinking ...
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Italicising common 'foreign' words [closed]
If a house style outlines that foreign terms should be italicised, how strictly should this be applied to common terms taken from, say, French that everyone is more than familiar with? Italicising ...
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