Added opinions of style
I’m having visual trouble with some dialog despite the well-stated rules above (or perhaps I’m too hidebound to change an idea stuck in my hard head).
To reopen the discussion, I’m familiar with MLA’s academic advice for continuing a quote to a new paragraph and AP’s similar take on quoting a single speaker to a new paragraph in newspapers.
Purdue Owl says the same as CMoS:
Writing Dialog
Write each person's spoken words, however brief, as a separate paragraph. Use commas to set off dialog tags such as "she said" or "he explained." If one person's speech goes on for more than one paragraph, use quotation marks to open the dialogue at the beginning of each paragraph. However, do not use closing quotation marks until the end of the final paragraph where that character is speaking.
My example below is an attempt to demonstrate my understanding of the advice above:
"Stay out of my mother’s business," I said. "I mean it, Jack."
"You got no call to talk so smart-mouth to your elders. You think you’re better’n everyone, boy."
"For one thing, Jack, my objection is in defense of a lady twenty years your senior. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. For another, we’re neighbors, not family.
"I’d appreciate it no end if you’d mind your own damned affairs. They sorely need it. As for the other, I’m not better than everyone. I’m just better than you."
I realize the last line may be moved up after [gander.] to eliminate the new paragraph and start quote, or I could add a paragraph of action between the two continuing quotes by one person, but for the sake of discussion, let’s say the conversation is printed as is, just because it follows all the rules already hashed out.
My style question: doesn’t the form, although correct, seem to imply a switch in speakers if the reader misses the fact there’s no end quote after [gander.]?
I have no trouble when it's one speaker, but every time I read something similar with two or more speakers, I’m pulled out of the conversation and have to re-read.
Am I alone and seriously need to check myself into punctuation rehab?