Questions tagged [quotes]
For questions related to a fairly well-known sentence or phrase that is widely understood to have originated in a publicly available text or speech, in many cases attributed to a famous person (or multiple famous people). See also the "quotations" tag.
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How to multi-paragraph quote within quote?
When a speaker's words in dialogue extend to more than one paragraph, we use an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each paragraph and use a closing quotation mark only at the end of the person'...
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Origin of quote “Mathematics is the second cheapest profession, requiring only paper and pencil and a wastebasket. ...”
I remember hearing this quote from various different places:
“Mathematics is the second cheapest profession, requiring only paper and pencil and a wastebasket”
It is usually followed up by saying ...
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Should I quote "giue" (from old texts) as "give" or "giue"? [closed]
For example, Francis Bacon (1625):
I want to quote Bacon verbatim (without any "conversion" to modern English). Should I quote the above as
"And Studies themselues, doe giue forth&...
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Can somebody please explain this quote by Seneca in plain words? [closed]
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is
because we do not dare that they are difficult.
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What would be the meaning of "You give me the awful impression […] of someone who hasn't read any of the arguments against your position ever"? [closed]
As a non native speaker I am facing trouble understanding one of the famous quotes from Cristopher Hitchens,
"You give me the awful impression, I hate to have to say it, of someone who hasn't ...
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quotation about someone discovering they have been doing X all these years
I am trying to think of a quotation, or it might be an anecdote or idiom. It is about a person who has been doing a certain activity for many years, and then learns for the first time that what they ...
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Does 'pre-empt' have 'presage, signal, or indicate' as one of its meanings in current British English usage?
A UK Ministry of Defence 'Intelligence Update' posted on Twitter on October 29, 2022, includes the following bullet point:
In the Russian national identity, [Prince Grigory] Potemkin is heavily ...
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Is the ‘riddle’ “Nothing starts with an N and an ends with G” incorrect? [closed]
I have seen these 'riddles' so frequently that they get on my nerves now. I'm not sure, but aren't they grammatically incorrect?
The riddle is as follows: "Nothing starts with an N and ends with ...
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How to add/indicate my own emphasis to a quote that already contains emphasis?
Here's my original quote:
… at this point let’s remember that figurative does not mean “untrue”
or “less important.” Figurative language teaches true and important
matters. After one has determined ...
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I have a question about a quote -- where does the question mark go? [duplicate]
Did Mark Antony say "So let it be with Caesar?" Or should it be "So let it be with Caesar."?
The latter makes more sense but I think the confusing former is what you see in print ...
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Interpreting "Begin at the beginning, the King said, very gravely, and go on till you come to the end: then stop."
I've come across the following quote by Lewis Carroll in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:
Begin at the beginning, the King said, very gravely, and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
The &...
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Commas with quotes that are inside a parenthesis [duplicate]
How would you punctuate the following and why?
("Grantor", whether one or more)
OR
("Grantor," whether one or more)
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A medical degree in fashion from France. What does that mean? [closed]
The full sentence is
Oh, wait, it's a she. Still, what does she know about - oh, wait. She has a medical degree. In fashion. From France.
by GLaDOS in Portal 2. Is that some idiom or meme? I've ...
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How would I quote this article from 1887?
Here is the quote I am wondering about:
The part that I am unsure about is how to quote the part, basically in the middle of the sentence that says "BY EVERY DEVICE OF BRUTAL INSULT". ...
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1
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Seeking source of phrase: "Money is the winding-sheet of the human race" [closed]
I'm looking for the original source of something similar to this phrase:
"Money is the winding-sheet of the human race."
I found references to "winding sheet" in a few places: ...
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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 quote someone with multiple titles
How would you attribute a quote so someone with multiple titles? For reference, I'm using AP style and we're using each of the titles to signify their entire relevant experience (there are four ...
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Should I correct quotes with spelling errors or leave them be? [duplicate]
I'm quoting a soldier's diary for a historical paper, and it has many spelling errors. Should I correct them for the reader, or leave them be? If I do correct them, how would I do it?
For example:
&...
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Grammar of "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally–and often far more–worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond" [duplicate]
No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally
– and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.
-C.S. Lewis
I am confused of the grammar of this quote. ...
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0
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Lord Acton's purported quote about "freedom faces four major challenges" [closed]
I read a Chinese article that quoted a passage purported to be from Lord Acton, describing how "freedom faces four major challenges", using google translation (from Chinese back to English) ...
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Did Dwight Eisenhower say "Never let yourself be persuaded that any one Great Man, any one leader, is necessary to the salvation of America"? [closed]
“Never let yourself be persuaded that any one Great Man, any one leader, is necessary to the salvation of America. When America consists of one leader and 158 million followers, it will no longer be ...
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How do I ask a question in a sentence while referencing a quote?
I am working on an assignment where you are supposed to ask Obama a question. I wanted to include the quote in the middle of my sentence and use that quote to help me ask my end question. I added a ...
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Proper way to delineate paraphrase in casual (text-based) conversation
First question would be: is it ok to use quotation marks for a paraphrase in casual (text-based) conversation?
Here's my current example:
A: You were insulting people.
B: I'm going to get angry. Deal ...
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How to quote a list (for a scientific thesis)?
I would like to quote a list verbatim.
Let's say this is the list, and it's originally from a book:
Mathematics is essential in many fields, including natural science, engineering, medicine, finance, ...
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Grammatical and Semantic Purpose of ✌️Air Quotes✌️
Air quotes has become a fairly important feature of English verbal communication, and I even notice that I include quotes in text now which apparently serve the same purpose as air quotes. ... But ...
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Looking for an aphorism/verse for "If you ask for less, you are more likely to receive it" (or the double inverse)
Looking for an aphorism/verse for the sentiment...
If you ask for less, you are more likely to receive it
...in the context of luck or prayers being answered.
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Use of [brackets] in quotation: altering a single letter in a direct quote
We know that brackets, [these], are used for altering or adding extra information to a direct quote. For example, from this answer:
These are used to indicate that a direct quote has been edited [or ...
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How to use quotation marks when quoting more than one paragraphs?
When quoting on a website like Stack Exchange, we have block quotes:
like these
but if they aren't available, and I want to use "double quotation marks": "then the quote is enclosed ...
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Within quotes, do I write Saint or St.?
Specifically, I'm writing a biography for a man who lived in St. Maries, Idaho. When I'm quoting him (therefore the spoken language) should I spell out saint, or is it a common enough abbreviation, ...
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You have the watches, but we have the time
This quote is associated with the Taliban in reference to the US occupation of Afghanistan.
I understand the metaphorical meaning of the quote — i.e. the point that it makes.
But I am intrigued by the ...
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Looking for origin of sentence "Yep, it's a XY, all right!"
Just saw an episode title (Legacies, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14178112/?ref_=tt_eps_cu_n) called "Yup, It's a Leprechaun, All Right".
This reminded me of an old game I used to play, ...
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What does the phrase AS YOU WERE mean?
A UK artist, Liam Gallagher, usually uses this phrase, but I can't understand what it really means.
Example taken from Twitter:
That’s wiped me out of for a kip as you were LG x
Please could anyone ...
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How do you introduce a non-quote? [duplicate]
Initially, I drafted the following sentence.
He argues we consistently make assumptions that are wrong.
Later, because it looked like a quote, I added a comma. But, do I need a comma?
He argues, we ...
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Does "ripple and cripple" have opposite meaning?
ripple, cripple
"Never look down on yourself,
even a cripple can create a ripple."
I use two similar vocabulary words in spelling to make a sentence.
Does it look like strange?
Does it look ...
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What does "crayon is forever." mean?
History written in pencil is easily erased, but crayon is forever. Emilie Autumn
What does "crayon is forever." mean?
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What does "my flesh begins crawling with suspense" mean? [closed]
The phrase was come upon in the following context:
Show me a character whose life arouses my curiosity, and my flesh
begins crawling with suspense.
By Fawn M. Brodie (italics added)
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What does "old man's milk" mean in this quote?
I find friendship to be like wine, raw when new, ripened with age, the true old man's milk and restorative cordial.— Thomas Jefferson
What does he mean by "old man's milk"?
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what does it mean of “Life is that perfect fine line between ironies.“?
Life is that perfect fine line between ironies.
~Serj Tankian
https://www.azquotes.com/quote/290519?ref=fine-lines
I can't understand what it means.
Does it mean life is paradox, ironic or ridiculous?
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Is it strange to put “calm“ and “clamorous“ in a sentence? [closed]
Calm and clamorous are opposite in meaning, but their pronunciation and spelling are a little similar.
If I wrote a sentence of:
“Always keep calm in clamorous world.“
Would people know what I mean?
...
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what does “memories are like corks left out of bottles…“ mean?
I saw a quote as following.
memories are like corks left out of bottles. They swell. They no longer fit.
~Harriet Doerr
https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1181685?ref=cork
Does it mean the memories are ...
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What does children mean in “Familiarity breeds contempt - and children.“? [closed]
Consider this quote from Mark Twain:
“Familiarity breeds contempt - and children.”
Does it mean having children is a bad thing?
Could you explain what the children imply here?
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Spoken equivalent of ... (ellipsis)?
When skipping part of the sentence or paragraph in a direct quote, it is common to use the ellipsis (...)
There are two ways of misunderstanding a poem ... the other to praise it for qualities that ...
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Proverb, quote or phrase which convey that the approach, ideas that are meant to improve the system or process are the onces which fail them [duplicate]
I am looking for a proverb, quote or phrase describing the processes (or structures or ideas) which are supposed to bring in efficiency, enhance the gaps and increases in-efficiencies, but instead ...
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British Prime Ministers are either vicars or bookies: quote origin?
The old adage has it that British prime ministers are either vicars or bookmakers. In Phoney Tony the country has a bookie masquerading as a vicar, a posture that does little for the standing of ...
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What do you call a quote that is a modification/derivation of another quote? [duplicate]
There is the quote, "The truth will set you free".
And then there are the quotes,
"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off."
and
"When you believe a lie ...
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Must have gone vs had to go
In this sentence which one is better; had to go or must have gone?
Last week Tina broke her arm and ..... to the hospital
I think must have gone is better but on the other hand the second one is ...
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Who said "What ails the wee bairn"?
In college, a literature professor related that a poet from the British Isles, as a young child, uttered the words (as best as I can remember)
"What ails the wee bairn?"
upon hearing an ...
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What does this explanation mean? [closed]
This is a dialog from The Graduate. 1967
-Where is Alan St?
-Alan st? It's 6 blocks up and 3 over.
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Idiom for depth of knowledge is harder to obtain as one gets deeper
In some subjects it is easy to learn a small amount about it, but hard, or time consuming, to learn everything about it. Chess for instance, one can learn how the pieces move around in a few minutes. ...
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What does this quote of Elizabeth Gaskell mean?
How easy it is to judge rightly after one sees what evil comes from judging wrongly!
-Elizabeth Gaskell
user397295