said he

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June 11th, 2008, 10:59 PM
Оля

said he

I came across this line while reading the Arthur Conan Doyle's story "The Adventure of the Three Garridebs":

"There is a chance for you to make some money, friend Watson," said he.
http://www.sbnet.ru/books/eng/Doyle/cbsh/3garride.txt

Why isn't it "bla bla bla, he said"? I always thought that was the only correct way for... (arrrgh... which verb should I use here? for "marking off"?...) author's remark after a character's cue in English.

P.S. Please, correct my mistakes, the grammatic and the stylistic ones, if you find any, and find time and patience also. Thanks.
June 12th, 2008, 01:54 AM
chaika

Says who?

Inverted word order is alive and well in English fiction, especially hundred-year-old fiction like that quote!

Please_ correct my mistakes, the grammatical

I don't think "grammatic" is a real word.
You could also say
Please correct my mistakes, grammatical and stylistic.
(by way of illustrating another inversion!). =:^)

And to sign off with some lyrics further illustrating inversion G&S !
June 12th, 2008, 03:53 AM
ZelyeUrsuli

G&S is not for the faint of heart.

And then you have the oft used Irish dialect and their use of "says I."
June 12th, 2008, 10:52 AM
Оля

Thank for the replies.

Guys... I'm very sorry for being touchy, but is really so hard to help with this line?

Quote:

correct way for... (arrrgh... which verb should I use here? for "marking off"?...) author's remark
June 12th, 2008, 04:23 PM
ZelyeUrsuli

Quote:

Originally Posted by Оля

Thank for the replies.

Guys... I'm very sorry for being touchy, but is really so hard to help with this line?

Quote:

correct way for... (arrrgh... which verb should I use here? for "marking off"?...) author's remark

What's the Russian? Mark off means something entirely different than I think you want.

Are you trying to say: "'blah blah blah,' he said" is the way an author indicates what a character says.
June 12th, 2008, 04:33 PM
Оля

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

Are you trying to say: "'blah blah blah,' he said" is the way an author indicates what a character says.

Yes, that's it! :) Thank you very much!

In Russian it's "правильное оформление слов автора после реплики героя".