: How does one indicate uncertainty in a quote? When quoting the spoken word, and if one particular word is difficult to distinguish, how does one properly indicate the uncertainty if that particular

When quoting the spoken word, and if one particular word is difficult to distinguish, how does one properly indicate the uncertainty if that particular word has been quoted correctly?

The following quote gave rise to the question

Every stuffed shirt who wants to pass for erudite
has shelves full of unread books. None of the spines
on these has ever been cracked.

Except for this one.

— Sherlock Holmes, The Rat Race

where I could not be entirely certain that I heard "stuffed" correctly (but have been able to confirm this with other sources). Nevertheless, the problem may present itself at another time. Would a question mark in brackets been appropriate? I.e.

Every stuffed[?] shirt who wants to pass for erudite...

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@Debbie451

Yes, that's exactly the way I'd indicate that you as the writer/transcriber are uncertain if the word you're indicating is correct. As long as you're making it clear that you're quoting something, as a reader I would be very clear on what that mark meant.

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: How does one indicate uncertainty in a quote? When quoting the spoken word, and if one particular word is difficult to distinguish, how does one properly indicate the uncertainty if that particular

More posts by @Shelley992

: This tag should be used for questions relating to the sequence of events of a novel, also known as its plot, though the timeline could change if your writing involves timetravel. Contrast

: This tag should be used For questions relating to the sequence of events of a novel, also known as its plot, though the timeline could change if you are writing a story that involves timetravel.

: Presenting Fiction as Non-Fiction I am toying writing a book involving layered stories: There is Manuscript A, written by a character, which is an ostensibly real account/diary of an incident

: How Much Dialogue Is Too Much Dialogue I wanted to know How Much Dialogue Is Too Much Dialogue ? I'm writing chapter and i can't really seem to trim my dialogues since my all 4 of my characters

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