http://www.wordnik.com/lists/a-manner-of-speaking-2.xml Generally, I feel that "they said" is the best way to tag speech in reporting or fiction, but sometimes you want a verb that expresses something about the way a thing is said or shows the attitude of the speaker to the statement. One of my favorite examples in this regard is the title of a novel by M.E. Kerr: "Hello," I Lied. http://www.wordnik.com http://www.wordnik.com/words/remonstrate Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:34:47 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/remonstrate http://www.wordnik.com/words/bark Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:04:48 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/bark http://www.wordnik.com/words/jest Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:50:33 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/jest http://www.wordnik.com/words/joke Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:50:29 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/joke http://www.wordnik.com/words/quip Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:49:54 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/quip http://www.wordnik.com/words/moan Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:14:36 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/moan http://www.wordnik.com/words/lament Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:14:27 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/lament http://www.wordnik.com/words/complain Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:14:22 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/complain http://www.wordnik.com/words/snap Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:13:30 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/snap http://www.wordnik.com/words/yell Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:12:56 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/yell http://www.wordnik.com/words/holler Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:12:22 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/holler http://www.wordnik.com/words/natter Sun, 16 Dec 2007 15:55:26 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/natter http://www.wordnik.com/words/snarl Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:05:30 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/snarl http://www.wordnik.com/words/hiss Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:05:23 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/hiss http://www.wordnik.com/words/comment Sun, 09 Dec 2007 22:03:21 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/comment http://www.wordnik.com/words/observe Sun, 09 Dec 2007 22:00:58 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/observe http://www.wordnik.com/words/interject Sun, 09 Dec 2007 21:59:57 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/interject http://www.wordnik.com/words/chirp Sun, 09 Dec 2007 21:58:56 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/chirp http://www.wordnik.com/words/retort Sun, 09 Dec 2007 21:58:36 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/retort http://www.wordnik.com/words/twitter Fri, 07 Dec 2007 19:06:38 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/twitter http://www.wordnik.com/words/bluff Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:04:36 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/bluff http://www.wordnik.com/words/answer Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:03:42 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/answer http://www.wordnik.com/words/respond Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:03:38 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/respond http://www.wordnik.com/words/reply Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:03:33 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/reply http://www.wordnik.com/words/counter Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:03:28 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/counter http://www.wordnik.com/words/argue Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:03:19 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/argue http://www.wordnik.com/words/interrupt Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:51:22 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/interrupt http://www.wordnik.com/words/repeat Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:50:59 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/repeat http://www.wordnik.com/words/coach Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:50:55 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/coach http://www.wordnik.com/words/coax Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:50:41 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/coax http://www.wordnik.com/words/aver Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:50:08 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/aver http://www.wordnik.com/words/insist Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:49:58 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/insist http://www.wordnik.com/words/assert Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:49:53 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/assert http://www.wordnik.com/words/blather Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:53:05 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/blather http://www.wordnik.com/words/babble Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:52:45 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/babble http://www.wordnik.com/words/stutter Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:12:20 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/stutter http://www.wordnik.com/words/stammer Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:58:12 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/stammer http://www.wordnik.com/words/sputter Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:58:08 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/sputter http://www.wordnik.com/words/ejaculate Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:51:21 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/ejaculate http://www.wordnik.com/words/declare Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:50:57 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/declare http://www.wordnik.com/words/plead Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:50:20 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/plead http://www.wordnik.com/words/beg Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:50:14 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/beg http://www.wordnik.com/words/whimper Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:47 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/whimper http://www.wordnik.com/words/simper Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:42 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/simper http://www.wordnik.com/words/explain Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:36 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/explain http://www.wordnik.com/words/expostulate Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:32 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/expostulate http://www.wordnik.com/words/shriek Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:22 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/shriek http://www.wordnik.com/words/cry out Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:15 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/cry out http://www.wordnik.com/words/cry Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:12 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/cry http://www.wordnik.com/words/exclaim Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:09 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/exclaim http://www.wordnik.com/words/surmise Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:49:03 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/surmise http://www.wordnik.com/words/pout Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:48:37 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/pout http://www.wordnik.com/words/hint Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:48:20 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/hint http://www.wordnik.com/words/inquire Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:48:14 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/inquire http://www.wordnik.com/words/ask Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:48:04 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/ask http://www.wordnik.com/words/suggest Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:47:56 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/suggest http://www.wordnik.com/words/murmur Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:47:49 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/murmur http://www.wordnik.com/words/whisper Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:47:37 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/whisper http://www.wordnik.com/words/state Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:47:30 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/state http://www.wordnik.com/words/pronounce Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:47:28 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/pronounce http://www.wordnik.com/words/mumble Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:47:20 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/mumble http://www.wordnik.com/words/mutter Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:47:14 +0000 http://www.wordnik.com/words/mutter