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indirect discourse

[ in-di-rekt dis-kawrs ]

noun

  1. the reporting of what a speaker said consisting not of the speaker's exact words but of a version transformed for grammatical inclusion in a larger sentence, as in She said she was not at all hungry.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of indirect discourse1

First recorded in 1845–50
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Example Sentences

The subjunctive is due to the implied indirect discourse, and expresses the thought, not of the writer, but of Mettius subjects.

Indirect discourse means reported speech,—the thoughts of a writer or speaker put in the words of the one reporting them.

From these illustrations will be readily seen the grammatical changes made in transferring from direct to indirect discourse.

I extract a few passages, the conversations being given in indirect discourse.

Those who have studied Latin will find the “indirect discourse” of Cicero a useful model.

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indirect costsindirect evidence