Direct speech
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Direct or quoted speech is a sentence (or several sentences) that reports speech or thought in its original form phrased by the original speaker.[1] It is usually enclosed in quotation marks. The cited speaker is either mentioned in the inquit (Latin "he/she says") or implied.
Comparison between direct, indirect and free indirect speech
- Quoted or direct speech:
- He laid down his bundle and thought of his misfortune. "And just what pleasure have I found, since I came into this world?" he asked.
- Reported or normal indirect speech:
- He laid down his bundle and thought of his misfortune. He asked himself what pleasure he had found since he came into the world.
- He laid down his bundle and thought of his misfortune. And just what pleasure had he found, since he came into this world?
A crucial semantic distinction between direct and indirect speech is that when one uses direct speech the reported clause is exactly what has been said, whereas indirect speech is a representation of speech in one's own words.[2]
