Definition:
A paraphrase of someone else's words. An indirect quotation (unlike a direct quotation) is not placed in quotation marks.
Examples and Observations:
- "It was Jean Shepherd, I believe, who said that after three weeks in chemistry he was six months behind the class."
(Russell Baker, "The Cruelest Month") - "An indirect quotation reports someone's words without quoting word for word: Annabelle said that she is a Virgo. A direct quotation presents the exact words of a speaker or writer, set off with quotation marks: Annabelle said, 'I am a Virgo.' Unannounced shifts from indirect to direct quotations are distracting and confusing, especially when the writer fails to insert the necessary quotation marks."
(Diane Hacker, The Bedford Handbook, 6th ed., Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002) - "Military relations with China also are tough, said U.S. Navy Admiral William Fallon, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command. He said he called Chinese counterparts to discuss North Korea's missile tests, for example, and got a written response that said, in essence, 'Thanks, but no thanks.'"
(Alwyn Scott, "U.S. May Slap China With Suit in Intellectual-Property Dispute," The Seattle Times, July 10, 2006) - "In his order yesterday, Judge Sand said, in effect, that if the city was willing to offer incentives to developers of luxury housing, commercial centers, shopping malls, and executive parks, it should also be assisting housing for minority group members."
(James Feron, "Citing Bias Order, U.S. Curbs Yonkers on Aid to Builders," The New York Times, November 20, 1987)
Also Known As: indirect speech, indirect discourse, reported speech
