Can I quote you on that? When you quote what somebody says, you create direct speech, otherwise known as direct discourse. Direct discourse is intended to describe what somebody else says or thinks. People use direct discourse in histories, essays, and argumentation. Unfortunately, quotes can also be misused.
Direct Discourse Meaning
Direct discourse is a way of capturing someone else's words.
Direct discourse is quoting someone directly.
Using direct discourse, you do not paraphrase or summarize. You write what someone said verbatim.
Recounting someone verbatim is to use their exact words.
Direct discourse is often used to quote someone's spoken word or gestural language. However, it can be used to quote anything verbatim.
Direct Discourse Example
Here is a short example of direct discourse.
Yesterday Hank said, "I've never driven a car before."
The material between the quotes is direct discourse because it is exactly what the person said.
Direct discourse has many uses in essays and argumentation.
You will see character quotations all the time in fictional stories. This is dialogue, not direct discourse, because the conversations are not real.
The Uses of Direct Discourse
Direct discourse is used to explain someone else's position or memory. If someone describes a memory of theirs, that is telling an anecdote.
Here's an example of direct discourse where someone gives their position on a memory.
In my interview with Duncan, he said, "My time abroad changed the way I see the world."
In this example, the writer quotes what Duncan said verbatim, as revealed by the quotation marks.
Writers and biographers use direct speech to support historical narratives.
In an interview with Howard Rheingold in 1991, Jerry Garcia said, "To me, that's the key thing, the pursuit of happiness. That's the basic, ultimate freedom."1
Depending on the kind of writing, you might explain someone else's position as a means of providing evidence.
Direct Discourse Used as Evidence
You might use articles and passages that include direct discourse in essays and timed tests. You can use that direct discourse as evidence.
Evidence is support for an argument.
Direct discourse is a strong form of evidence when it verifies your argument.
For instance, say that your claim is, "Jerry Garcia believed that happiness and freedom are entwined." In this case, the previous quote from Jerry Garcia would be a great piece of evidence because, in that quote, he says as much himself!
To use direct discourse as evidence, you must use the quote accurately.
Direct Discourse Used Incorrectly
Because direct discourse is a potentially strong form of evidence, some people try to fit it into their papers and arguments when it doesn't really belong. Doing this can result in twisting someone's words or misrepresenting someone.
Incomplete Quotes
Incomplete quotes don't encompass everything someone had to say about a subject.
Although this is sometimes fine to do, it isn't fine if the incompleteness changes the meaning of the complete quote. Here's an example of an incomplete quote followed by a complete quote, where the incomplete quote is disingenuous.
"Immigrants have real problems."
This sounds like an attack on immigrants.
"Immigrants experience abuse, bigotry, and lower wages than us. It isn't easy to be an immigrant; immigrants have real problems."
This complete quote accurately contextualizes the speaker's position.
Omitting Words From a Quote
Omitting words from a quote is to doctor what someone has to say about a subject.
This isn't bad if you don't have the space to quote someone entirely and the removed content isn't relevant. However, someone can easily manipulate a quote by abbreviating it.
"Quentin is a source of…hate."
That's a strong statement to make about Quentin. But is that what the author originally intended?
"Quentin is a source of love, not hate."
It's good practice not to omit words when writing or discussing direct discourse. If you omit words, you may miss the point of direct discourse, which is to quote someone verbatim.
Misapplying Quotes
Misapplying a quote is using that quote to describe something that the speaker never intended to describe.
This is never the right thing to do, period.
General Roberts said, "This is not the time to use lethal force."
However, imagine General Roberts said, "This is not the time to use lethal force" months prior when times were different. This would then be a misapplication of the quote because it never referred to the present situation.
People don't only misapply quotes to make the other person look bad. They might try to make them look better. For instance, someone might misuse the above quote to make General Roberts appear less aggressive.
Direct Discourse Rules
Knowing the rules of direct discourse will help you identify direct discourse and write it yourself. Direct discourse has two rules.
1. Make your direct discourse accurate. To do this, make sure you don't do anything described in the section, "Direct Discourse Used Incorrectly." You want to be sure your direct discourse is complete and correctly applied.
2. Punctuate your direct discourse correctly. Here are the ways you can ensure that.
Punctuation Rules in Direct Discourse
Here's a quick rundown. To quote someone in standard US English, use double quotation marks around the quoted material and no more.
If the first word inside the quotation marks begins a complete sentence, capitalize it. Also, include a comma before the quote.
Dan said, "He is my friend."
If the quote does not end in a period, put a comma inside the quote at the end.
"He is my friend," said Dan.
If the first word inside the quotation marks does not begin a complete sentence, don't capitalize it. Also, do not include a comma before the quote.
Dan said that he was "my friend."
Ordinary rules of syntax and punctuation apply in direct discourse unless they run contrary to the rules listed above.
Finally, you might need to cite your direct discourse using some form of citation. The citations you use will depend on your instructor or institution, so start the exploration of citations there!
Some quotes require citations.
Direct Discourse and Indirect Discourse
You know what direct discourse is by now.
Indirect discourse is quoting someone indirectly.
The idea of indirect discourse is to capture the whole meaning of somebody's words but not to use their exact words. This is also called paraphrase.
We talked about it, and Esteban said he doesn't like rollercoasters. He'll never go on one.
This example uses indirect discourse to clarify what Esteban thinks without actually using his words. Notably, indirect discourse does not use quotation marks.
Indirect discourse is an excellent way to switch up your style. You shouldn't fill your essays with quotes. To identify indirect discourse, look for the same kinds of words that people use in direct discourse, such as names of people and the word "said."
Here is a list of words that signify direct and indirect discourse.
Say
Explain
State
Cite
Tell
Communicate
Posit
Look for these words in various forms! For example, look for "explained" and "explaining," too.
Direct Discourse - Key Takeaways
- Direct discourse is quoting someone directly.
- Direct discourse is often used to quote someone's spoken word or gestural language. However, it can be used to quote anything verbatim.
- To use direct discourse as evidence, do not use incomplete quotes, do not omit words, and do not misapply the quote.
- Use double quotation marks for direct discourse, and follow the other punctuation rules.
- You might need to cite your direct discourse using some form of citation.
1 Jerry Garcia. 'Interview with Bob Weir & Jerry Garcia.' Interview Magazine. 1991.
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