[Grammar] punctuation marks

[Ashiuhto]

Which of the punctuation marks of the following sentences is correct?

1. "Why should poor people eat only crappy food?" Prof. Hung sighed with emotion. "We treat ...."
2. "Why should poor people eat only crappy food," Prof. Hung sighed with emotion. "We treat ...."

 

[probus]

As to punctuation, the first is correct in my opinion. More importantly, I think that professors should eschew words like "crappy". ;-)

 

[Ashiuhto]

What's another appropriate word to replace the word "crappy"?

 

[probus]

Appropriate academic language might be "low quality" or "nutritionally poor", just to take a couple of examples. The problem with "crappy" is not so much that it is vulgar slang, but that it lacks precise meaning. Is the prof trying to say that the food lacks some nutritional element or that it has other problems, for example being unsanitary?

 

[Ashiuhto]

"Why should poor people eat only low quality food?" Prof. Hung sighed with emotion. "We treat ...."

 

[Rover_KE]

Most BE speakers would write 'Prof' without the full stop.