posted by rfvv Thursday, April 5, 2018 at 5:57am
1. I laugh. Don't laugh, I tell myself. Think of tomorrow's math test. That works. I sit quietly.
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In the book, 'Don't laugh' is in italic type.
In the book 'Think of tomorrow's math test.'is in italic type.
In that case, what is the role of the sentences in italic type?
To emphasize 'Don't laugh', was it inverted?
Reed Thursday, April 5, 2018 at 7:02am
The italicized words are what the speaker is thinking or saying to himself. We would not italicize them. I would put them in quotation marks. Italics are for emphasis. To use the italics is acceptable, but the quotation marks should also be there.
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2. Don't laugh, I tell myself. [Don't laugh is in italics]
3. I tell myself Don't laugh. [Don't laugh is in italics]
4. I tell myself, "Don't laugh."
5. I say to myself, "Don't laugh."
6. I talk to myself, "Don't laugh."
7. I speak to myself, "Don't laugh."
Q1: Can we use #3?
Q2: Why is "Don't laugh" used at the beginning? Is it to emphasize the expression?
Q3: Are the other sentences okay?
Q1: Yes, we can use sentence #3, "I tell myself Don't laugh." However, it is important to note that the quotation marks are omitted when using italics to indicate internal dialogue.
Q2: The use of "Don't laugh" at the beginning is to emphasize the internal dialogue of the speaker. It serves to highlight the thought process and the instruction the speaker is giving to themselves.
Q3: The other sentences (#4, #5, #6, #7) are also acceptable alternatives to convey the internal dialogue. However, it is important to note that if using quotation marks, they should be included in order to clearly indicate the dialogue.
Q1: Yes, we can use sentence #3: "I tell myself, 'Don't laugh'." However, it is more common to use quotation marks instead of italics when indicating what the speaker is saying or thinking to themselves.
Q2: "Don't laugh" is used at the beginning for emphasis. By placing it at the start of the sentence, it stands out and draws attention to the command or instruction. This can make the speaker's internal dialogue clearer and more impactful to the reader.
Q3: Yes, the other sentences are also acceptable alternatives to convey the same meaning. For example, sentences #4, #5, #6, and #7 all effectively express the idea of the speaker telling themselves not to laugh. The choice between them depends on the writer's style and the desired tone of the passage.