Dialogue in Spanish, Italian, and some French texts is indicated by dashes. Here is a passage of dialogue in the original Spanish and an English translation:
—Perdón —dices, observando los dos cubiertos extra, las dos sillas desocupadas— ¿Esperamos a alguien más?
Aura continúa sirviendo los tomates:
—No. La señora Consuelo se siente débil esta noche. No nos acompañará.
"Excuse me," you say, looking at the two extra places, the two empty chairs, "but are you expecting someone else?"
Aura goes on serving the tomatoes.
"No, Señora Consuelo feels a little ill tonight. She won't be joining us."
—Carlos Fuentes, Alma, trans. Lysander Kemp
You will find some English-language writers like James Joyce experimenting with European-style punctuation—or no punctuation—in their dialogue:
—He's not so bad, is he? said Aunt Kate to Gabriel.
Gabriel's brows were dark but he raised them quickly and answered:
—O no, hardly noticeable.
—Now, isn't he a terrible fellow! she said. And his poor mother made him take the pledge on New Year's Eve. But come on, Gabriel, into the drawing room.
—James Joyce, "The Dead"
