"Quotative" Pronounce,Meaning And Examples

"Quotative" Meaning

The term "quotative" refers to a phrase or sentence that quotes or reports what someone has said, as in a direct quote. It is often used in linguistics and language teaching to describe a type of speech or thought presentation in written or spoken language.

In other words, "quotative" is a linguistic term that describes expressions that attribute a spoken thought or word to someone, often in a reported speech structure, such as:

"He said, 'I am tired.'"
'She exclaimed, 'I love this movie!'"

Quotatives can be used in various ways, including to:

Report direct speech or dialogue
Attribute quotations to a specific person
Provide a thought or statement expressed by someone else
Create a sense of intimacy and immediacy through direct speech

In language teaching, quotatives are often discussed in the context of linguistic functions, such as how they help create clear meaning and context in speech and writing.

"Quotative" Examples

5 Usage Examples of "quotative"

Example 1: Direct Speech Quote

> "I'm so excited," she said. "I've been waiting for this moment for months!"
In this example, the word "quotative" is used to indicate that what is being said is a direct quote from the person speaking.

Example 2: Indirect Speech Quote

"I told my friend, 'I'm so excited that we're going to the party tonight,'" said Emily.
This example uses "quotative" to convey that the part enclosed in quotes is the indirect quote or the statement made by Emily.

Example 3: Quoting a Dialogue

[Teacher:] "I think we should have a discussion on the importance of reading." [Student 1:] "I completely agree, it's because it improves our vocabulary skills." In this example, the dialogue between the teacher and the student uses "quotative" to indicate the dialogue exchange without specifying the direct or indirect nature of the quotes.

Example 4: Reporting a Quote in Academic Writing

According to Smith (2020), "The impact of climate change on urban areas is a critical issue that requires immediate attention." Here, the quote is included within a larger paper or academic text to discuss the findings of a researcher. The "quotative" function is applied to set the quote apart as a direct statement from the researcher.

Example 5: Quoting a Famous Quote for Effect

"It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the most adaptable," as Charles Darwin concluded in "On the Origin of Species." In this example, a quote from a famous book is included to emphasize a point or illustrate an idea. The way the sentence is structured, with care taken to distinguish the quote from the narrator’s writing (the use of "as" and proper citation), signals the noun function of "quotative" in indicating the nature of the content.

These examples demonstrate how "quotative" is used in different contexts, all highlighting its role in indicating the existence of quotes whether direct or indirect, or otherwise set dialogue or character, mentioned text or various forms of references that offer a source for additional information.