How to write this sentence?

[olleyao]

I have a quote, but I'm not sure how you would write the first comma, the last punctuation or whether to capitalize the first letter in the quoted quote, so I'm wondering how ought this be written correctly?

"She said that, 'Nearly every summer I visited my parents.'."

Thanks!

 

[5jj]

She said [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE], 'Nearly every summer I visited my parents.'

or:

She said (that) she visited her parents nearly every summer.

 

[olleyao]

This is a quote that quotes a quote, so I cannot change or omit the word "that".

 

[5jj]

This is a quote that quotes a quote, so I cannot change or omit the word "that".

Well, I suppose it's possibe, though not very likely as:

She said that, nearly every summer, I visited my parents.

That would be more natural with 'nearly ever summer' at the end.

 

[olleyao]

Well, I suppose it's possibe, though not very likely as:

She said that, nearly every summer, I visited my parents.

That would be more natural with 'nearly ever summer' at the end.

I'm sorry, I should have clarified.

This sentence is spoken by someone else, and I want to quote this person.
Let's say this person is person A.

So person A has said the words:

She said that Nearly every summer I visited my parents

She in this would be person B.

Person B has in turn said "Nearly every summer I visited my parents".

Now I need to quote what person A said, which includes what person B has said. So the quotes must remain true to the original words spoken, and I'm now wondering how to corretly format the sentence.
I hope this made it clearer. Thanks !

 

[5jj]

I hope this made it clearer.

No.

Who spoke first? (Call that person A)
What did s/he say? (Give us the exact words.)

Who spoke second? (Call that person B.)

Is B reporting what A said?

Do you now wish to report what B said?

 

[olleyao]

No.

Who spoke first? (Call that person A)
What did s/he say? (Give us the exact words.)

Who spoke second? (Call that person B.)

Is B reporting what A said?

Do you now wish to report what B said?

Ok, let me try again.

Chronologically, who said what:

B (words said to A at an earlier occasion, 2 days ago): Nearly every summer I visited my parents.

A (words said to me 1 day ago): She said that nearly every summer I visited my parents.

Now, I'm in written form going to quote what A has said to me.

 

[5jj]

B (words said to A at an earlier occasion, 2 days ago): Nearly every summer I visited my parents.

A (words said to me 1 day ago): She said that nearly every summer I visited my parents.

A's words are an incorrect reporting of B's words - they suggest that it was A who had visited their (A's) parents. A should have said, "She (B) said that she (B) visited her (B's) parents nearly every summer.

Now, I'm in written form going to quote what A has said to me.

You need to write:

A told me that B had said that she (B) visited her (B's) parents nearly every summer.


In cases such as this, it is always better to use names rather than pronouns; there is always a possibility of misunderstanding if you don't.

 

[olleyao]

Yes, A's words are incorrect, which is a problem. Let's say that A is not a native speaker and therefore may speak incorrectly.

I need to quote the exact words spoken, I cannot meddle with words inside the quote, so I cannot change it to names.

 

[5jj]

I need to quote the exact words spoken, I cannot meddle with words inside the quote, so I cannot change it to names.

Well then, the resulting sentence may well be ambiguous. Who or what says you 'must' do this?

 

[olleyao]

Well then, the resulting sentence may well be ambiguous. Who or what says you 'must' do this?

Well, it's not that I must do this, but more I'm wondering how it's done.

 

[5jj]

I'll leave you to it, then.

 

[keen learner]

She said [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE], 'Nearly every summer I visited my parents.'

or:

She said (that) she visited her parents nearly every summer.

Can we write as: "She said that she had visited her parents nearly every summer."?
Thanks.