Comments on: What do you call those little quotes in books?

Question: What do you call those little quotes in books?

SansPoint — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 14:56:48 -0800

What is the term for those little quotes that sometimes open books?

Say when you start reading a novel, and just at the start there's a quote from Shakespeare or something? I'm completely blanking. I think it might be "epigram", but I'm sure it's not.

I'm planning to open my NaNoWriMo project with a quote from Laurie Anderson's "O Superman", which is why I'm trying to figure out what this is called.

By: gene_machine

gene_machine — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:00:49 -0800

"Epigram" is correct.

By: dance

dance — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:01:10 -0800

A more colloquial term might be 'gobbet', as in 'The History Boys'?

By: tatiana wishbone

tatiana wishbone — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:01:13 -0800

You're close - it's an epigraph.

By: scody

scody — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:01:17 -0800

It's the epigraph.

By: gene_machine

gene_machine — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:04:14 -0800

Argh! Epigraph!

Feels stupid. An author should know this.

By: phatkitten

phatkitten — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:30:45 -0800

How bizarre...I was reading this just before I stepped in here.

By: SansPoint

SansPoint — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 16:08:58 -0800

Thanks, folks! Knew the hive mind could help!

By: matthewr

matthewr — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 16:38:19 -0800

"Then wear the gold hat, if that will move Them;
If you can bounce high, bounce for Them too
Til They cry, 'Lover, gold-hatted, high bouncing lover,
We must have you!'"

— The Great Gatsby

By: Phred182

Phred182 — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 22:07:15 -0800

matthewr, what is that, the first new caprica edition?

"Thomas Parke D'Invilliers" is turning in his fictitious grave--his quote has been de-genderized.

By: matthewr

matthewr — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 05:19:13 -0800

!

Phred182, I can't believe I didn't notice that. I couldn't remember the exact words so I just Googled it and copy-and-pasted the first thing I found, without paying enough attention.

My sincere apologies to Thomas Parke D'Invilliers...

By: theperfectcrime

theperfectcrime — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 21:29:27 -0800

I would love to know which quote you are using. That's one of my all-time favorite songs.