Template:Dialogue

{{{1}}}: "{{{2}}}"

{{{3}}}: "{{{4}}}"

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{{Dialogue}} facilitates the writing of dialogue in a standard format. The template can handle most standard formats of writing dialogue, and can be indented, bulleted or numbered. This template cannot be subst:'d.

This template uses the Lua templating language, and more information can be found on the Global Lua Module page. For a traditional wikitext version of this template, see Dialogue on Templates Wiki.

Syntax

This is how to write the template in wikitext onto your article:

{{dialogue
|short=full
|short=full
|short=full
...
|Character|Speech
|Character|Speech
|Character|Speech
...
|cite = dialogue description
}}

These parameters are explained more fully below.

Parameters

Named parameters specify name shortcuts. They are all optional. They are placed at the top of the template call, like this:

{{dialogue
|short=full
|short=full
|short=full
...

Name shortcuts apply to your main dialogue text. If you use a shortcut specified here for a character name, then the full name will be replaced for it.

Named parameters of the form "mood1", "mood2", "mood3", etc., up to "mood10", specify moods for the corresponding line number (e.g. "mood1" specifies line 1). They are placed in a line like this:

...
|Character|Speech|mood1=angry
|Character|Speech|mood2=quiet
|Character|Speech|mood3=ecstatic
...

Positional parameters form the text of the dialogue (i.e. any line not containing an "=" will be construed as part of the dialogue.

Parameter 1 (required)

Character name speaking

Parameter 2 (optional)

Line to speak

Parameter 3 (optional)

Next character

Parameter 4 (optional)

Next line

Parameter 5 (optional)

Next character

Parameter 6 (optional)

Next line

Parameter 7 (optional)

so on...

Note: if any character is called "action" then that line will be construed as an action line. It still counts as a line nonetheless.

To write a dialogue description/source, use cite =

Examples

Here is an example of a full template usage:

{{dialogue
|harry=Harry Enfield
|bryan=Bryan Adams

|harry|Hello!                |mood1=happy
|bryan|Oh hello there        |mood2=surprised
|harry|How are you?          |mood3=inquisitive
|bryan|Quite fine thank you. |mood4=reserved
|harry|Oh that's spiffing.   |mood5=spiffed
|bryan|It is, isn't it?!     |mood6=multo-spiffed
|harry|Quite so.             |mood7=bored
|bryan|Well, I'm off!        |mood8=joyous
|harry|Ta-ta!                |mood9=relieved
|bryan|Au revoir!            |mood10=sarcastic
}}

The above would generate:

harry: "Hello! "

bryan: "Oh hello there "

harry: "How are you? "

bryan: "Quite fine thank you. "

harry: "Oh that's spiffing. "

bryan: "It is, isn't it?! "

harry: "Quite so. "

bryan: "Well, I'm off! "

harry: "Ta-ta! "

bryan: "Au revoir! "

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The below code demonstrates examples of extended use:

{{dialogue
|george=Georgie Boy
|rachel=Rachel

|action|Enter: George and Rachel
|george|Good morrow dearest Rachel!|mood2=happy
|action|Rachel turns to see him
|rachel|Oh, George, it's you!
|george|...
|rachel|Why won't you say anything?!|mood6=worried
|action|Enter: Guards
|Guards|We are announcing George's arrest!
|rachel|Oh my!|mood9=horrified
|action|George is dragged away.
}}

The above would generate:

action: "Enter: George and Rachel

"

george: "Good morrow dearest Rachel!"

action: "Rachel turns to see him

"

rachel: "Oh, George, it's you!

"

george: "...

"

rachel: "Why won't you say anything?!"

action: "Enter: Guards

"

Guards: "We are announcing George's arrest!

"

rachel: "Oh my!"

action: "George is dragged away.

"

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Notes

You can number, bullet or indent your dialogue:

:{{dialogue|Me|Hello|You|Howdido!}}

Me: "Hello"

You: "Howdido!"

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#{{dialogue|Me|Hello|You|Howdido!}}
#{{dialogue|Them|Good afternoon|Us|What a load of rubbish!}}

Me: "Hello"

You: "Howdido!"

―  

Them: "Good afternoon"

Us: "What a load of rubbish!"

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*{{dialogue
|angel=Fortitude
|angel|I am an angel!|Crowd|We don't believe you!}}
*{{dialogue
|angel=Fortitude
|angel|But I'm being quite serious!|Crowd|Too bad for you then!}}

angel: "I am an angel!"

Crowd: "We don't believe you!"

―  

angel: "But I'm being quite serious!"

Crowd: "Too bad for you then!"

―  

You will get the odd spacing error (e.g. "Speech<space>") if you lay out your dialogue on multiple lines.

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Dialogue/doc. (edit | history)
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox (create | mirror) and testcases (create) pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.