I've checked the Chicago Manual of Style and can't find the answer to my question. It's probably there, and I looked in the wrong spot.

I have a character with a slight stutter. When he speaks, I indicate the stutter like this, "I d-don't th-think so". Is the correct way to show it? If it is, what about words that should be capitalized, like names. Should it be D-david or D-David?

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I believe that is the accepted depiction. I would not capitalize the repeated letter in a proper name.

This is an excellent question. The CMOS does cover the punctuation used to properly write a stutter.

Hyphens and Dashes 6.75.

Ellipses and suspension points 6.15, 13.48 - 56

Capitals 7.48

Capitalization 2.63, 8.1 - 2, 5.5, 5.6

But first, before we can determine where the stutter is to be placed, we have to understand how people stutter. Most stutters occur on the first phoneme of a word. There are 42 phonemes in the English laguage. You can find the list here: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/spellings.html

An example would be:"ph-ph-phoneme" or "p-p-pet" or "d-d-David"

(yes, notice the capitalization of 'David', regardless of use, stutter or otherwise, names are capitalized)

Once you know where to break the word for the stutter, then it is time to decide which of the stutters to use.

To break a thought in a sentence use the ellipses:

"I just... I just can't do it anymore."

To have a long pause stutter use the em-dash: (You will have to pretend I'm using an em-dash, Markdown doesn't format well. To make an em-dash in word, ctrl-alt-minus sign

"I ju--ju--just can't do it anymore."

To have a staccato stutter use the en-dash.

"D-d-d-David, st-st-stop!"

But, in most stutters, and the most widely accepted for, just use the hyphen:

"I th-th-think I un--understand now."

However, once you know the rules, you can use artistic license to break them, just remain consistent throughout the text.

R.L. Wolf, Writers Coordinator

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Wolfenshire, Moderator/Community Leader

Thanks. I figured the answer was there. I just couldn't find it. I did see the part about the ellipses but that didn't seem to be what I was looking for. Thanks again for the help.

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Available on Amazon for the Kindle E-Reader Monster of the North and The Shimmering Mage

Today I break my own personal record for the number of days for being alive.
Check out my store here or my free stuff here
I use Poser 13 and win 10

Wow! I've never really considered this topic before. Very interesting indeed.

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