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.
--------------------------------------------------------
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.
========================================================
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?
Many authors who are writing dialogue for their characters use quotation marks for what they are saying, but italics for what they're thinking. However, I've read books and stories in which the author uses quotation marks for both speaking and thinking, as well as many in which the author uses quotation marks for speaking and nothing extra for what a character is thinking.
It's an author's choice! All work fine.
Q1: Can we use #3?
Yes, you can use sentence #3, "I tell myself Don't laugh," without italics. However, in this case, the quotation marks are necessary to indicate that the speaker is talking to themselves.
Q2: Why is "Don't laugh" used at the beginning? Is it to emphasize the expression?
The use of "Don't laugh" at the beginning is a way to emphasize the speaker's internal dialogue and the instruction they are giving to themselves. By placing it at the beginning, it signals the importance of this thought to the speaker's mindset and their attempt to control their behavior.
Q3: Are the other sentences okay?
Yes, sentences #4, #5, #6, and #7 are acceptable alternatives to convey the same message. These sentences use phrases like "I say to myself," "I talk to myself," and "I speak to myself," followed by the instruction "Don't laugh" in quotation marks. These variations provide different ways of expressing the same internal dialogue and self-admonishment.