Indirect discourse
A technique in which the speaker reports or thinks what would be said without punctuating it as direct speech - leaving off quotation marks so that the line occupies an ambiguous space between thought and utterance. Distinct from direct discourse (quoted speech) and from dramatic monologue (which concerns the entire song's framing). In Taylor's writing this appears when the speaker is thinking rather than speaking, and the absence of quotation marks signals interiority.
Creates ambiguity between thought and speech, allowing the line to function as something the speaker is thinking rather than saying aloud. The absence of quotation marks signals interiority and unspoken feeling, while direct discourse (with quotation marks) signals actual or imagined spoken words. The contrast between the two modes can reveal which character is given voice and which remains internal.
Appears in 1 song
“Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?" / I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone / I'll spend forever wonderin' if you knew”
Uncle Jerry explicitly names the technique: 'it's a particular type of discourse technique called indirect discourse, where you leave off the quotations.' He notes that Taylor uses indirect discourse for herself and direct discourse for the male figure, a deliberate stylistic choice with interpretive weight. The selective use is what makes the device do interpretive work: speaker interiority kept private through grammar, external voice given the agency of quoted speech.