SR-71

Then you would know that periods always go inside quotation marks. :-)

Blanche wrote:


I spent too many years with Strunk & White's "Elements of Style".

*sigh*

Trivia: This is why periods always go inside the quotation marks (helps me
remember): In the old days of mechanical printing presses and manual
typesetting, the letter pieces looked similar to the strikers on old
typewriters; rectangular pieces of metal. A period piece [.] was only half
as wide as a double-quote [' '] and if it was at the end of a line, which is
common at the end of quotes or paragraphs, the half-width, full-heighth
period piece could lean just a little and eventually wiggle lose. As the
inking/printing mechanism moved over the wayward period, the piece could
snap off and monkey up the works.

To compensate for this, printing press operators and typesetters ignored the
editors made a command decision: They started tucking the [.] inside the
square [' '] piece in order to secure it and hold it still. According to
an old typesetter at the Oregon State printing press, that's why the period
goes inside the quote as such: [.][' '] (end of line)

-c

"RomeoMike" wrote in message
...


Then you would know that periods always go inside quotation marks. :-)


I spent too many years with Strunk & White's "Elements of Style".

*sigh*

As the inking/printing mechanism
moved over the wayward period, the piece could
snap off and monkey up the works.

.... except that the last piece of type is also held in place by
something. We had a discussion here some time ago about this very
thing, and I think the conclusion was that this was an OWT.

Jose
--
"There are 3 secrets to the perfect landing. Unfortunately, nobody knows
what they are." - (mike).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
t...
As the inking/printing mechanism
moved over the wayward period, the piece could snap off and monkey up the
works.

... except that the last piece of type is also held in place by something.

Not always. The printer that demonstrated this was setting type on an
actual printing press when he showed me, so I saw it first-hand. FWIW, the
printing press was at 15th and Washington in Corvallis, OR., in the spring
of 1991.

-c

... except that the last piece of type is also held in place by something.


Not always. The printer that demonstrated this was setting type on an
actual printing press when he showed me, so I saw it first-hand.

So, how was that last piece of type held in place?

Jose
--
"There are 3 secrets to the perfect landing. Unfortunately, nobody knows
what they are." - (mike).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
news
... except that the last piece of type is also held in place by
something.

Not always. The printer that demonstrated this was setting type on an
actual printing press when he showed me, so I saw it first-hand.

So, how was that last piece of type held in place?

If I remember correctly, it was supposed to snap in and sit snug against the
previous text. The completed plate sat up not quite vertically, but near it.
I don't know what they used to fill the space between the end of the type
and the end of the line, but I have no particular reason to think the guy
was making it up when he told me--while he was setting the type--or why he
would spread such an "urban legend" if the press he was demonstrating
contradicted it.

-c

I don't know what they used to fill the space between the end of the type
and the end of the line, but I have no particular reason to think the guy
was making it up when he told me--while he was setting the type--or why he
would spread such an "urban legend" if the press he was demonstrating
contradicted it.

I thought he actually demonstrated it to you, rather than just told you.

Jose
--
"There are 3 secrets to the perfect landing. Unfortunately, nobody knows
what they are." - (mike).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

gatt writes:

Trivia: This is why periods always go inside the quotation marks (helps me
remember): In the old days of mechanical printing presses and manual
typesetting, the letter pieces looked similar to the strikers on old
typewriters; rectangular pieces of metal. A period piece [.] was only half
as wide as a double-quote [' '] and if it was at the end of a line, which is
common at the end of quotes or paragraphs, the half-width, full-heighth
period piece could lean just a little and eventually wiggle lose. As the
inking/printing mechanism moved over the wayward period, the piece could
snap off and monkey up the works.

To compensate for this, printing press operators and typesetters ignored the
editors made a command decision: They started tucking the [.] inside the
square [' '] piece in order to secure it and hold it still. According to
an old typesetter at the Oregon State printing press, that's why the period
goes inside the quote as such: [.][' '] (end of line)

Urban legend. This would not explain why the period goes outside
quotation marks in British typography.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...

To compensate for this, printing press operators and typesetters ignored
the editors made a command decision: They started tucking the [.] inside
the
square [' '] piece in order to secure it and hold it still. According
to an old typesetter at the Oregon State printing press, that's why the
period
goes inside the quote as such: [.][' '] (end of line)

Urban legend. This would not explain why the period goes outside
quotation marks in British typography.

As I mentioned in the previous message, this -fact- was demonstrated to me
by a printer while he was setting type on an old printing press on the
university campus where I studied Journalism. The British typography
statement assumes that British printers used the same equipment, which may
not be the case.

Similar to the way people prefer to gather their flying knowledge from those
who fly, I prefer to get my printing press history from a printing press
operator, especially while he's in the process of operating a vintage
printing press.

Strange thing to create an urban legend about, by the way.

-c

gatt writes:

As I mentioned in the previous message, this -fact- was demonstrated to me
by a printer while he was setting type on an old printing press on the
university campus where I studied Journalism.

History is not subject to demonstration. The fact that a printer
might be able to cause the event in question does not mean that it was
the motivation for placing periods inside quotation marks.

The placement of other punctuation inside or outside quotation marks
has long been a matter of style that differs between the U.S. and the
U.K.

The British typography statement assumes that British printers used
the same equipment, which may not be the case.

Movable type was universal at one time, in the not so distant past.

People like to have explanations for things, even if they have to
invent them. This explanation reminds me of the Latin teacher's
explanation for _porta_ that I heard. Supposedly the teacher said
that the word came from the fact that ancient Romans had to lift the
plow creating the foundations wherever there was a door. Same
principle.

Similar to the way people prefer to gather their flying knowledge from those
who fly, I prefer to get my printing press history from a printing press
operator, especially while he's in the process of operating a vintage
printing press.

Unless he was there originally, he wouldn't know any more than I
would.

Strange thing to create an urban legend about, by the way.

Strange things are especially prone to produce urban legends. It's
like water spiraling down a drain or the curved shape of a wing
producing lift (to get back to general aviation).

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