Goal: Consider what verbs are allowed in quotative constructions
Note: Some languages allow more flexible quoting verb options.
Tip: Quoting verb variety can be genre-dependent.
Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try
Today’s goal is to consider whether you want to allow more flexible quoting verb options within your quotative constructions. In some languages, very few verbs participate in quotatives, restricted to a handful of verbs like “say” or “tell.”
Some languages allow more verbs, but the verbs allowed are restricted to communication-type verbs, adding in options like “whisper,” “mutter,” or “yell.”
Yet other languages allow a wide variety of verbs that indicate manner of speaking, emotional affect, or speaker judgment, such as “chirp,” “tut,” or “prod.”
English allows a wide variety of verbs in written texts, but spoken quotatives tend to draw from a much smaller verb inventory. You may want to consider whether your language will do something similar and be more flexible in one genre or another.