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A speech bubble is a text container used to show the dialogue of one or more characters. The name is derived from the oval shape that most speech bubbles resemble, but speech bubbles can come in many shapes. A speech bubble usually will contain a narrow section extending from the container known as the tail of the speech bubble that indicates where the dialogue is coming from. A speech bubble can also contain pictographics, grawlixes or be empty (to denote speechlessness, for example).

Note: This should not be tagged for text message containers even if they resemble a speech bubble. Use message box instead.

Not to be confused with

• text_box

Identifying forms

Due to the wide number of shapes that a speech bubble can take, not all forms may fit nicely within a subgroup. It is fine to leave untagged if it doesn't seem to fall into one of the subgroups.

Hybrid forms may exist that modify how we approach tagging. Any form can be linked together, or contain dotted borders; a polygonal form may sometimes appear pointy. A speech bubble can fall into multiple subgroups, and the subgroup tags may be added as needed.

A speech bubble that lacks a consistent form such as those that keep alternating between flat, and curved edges, or the length of the edges keeps changing is considered an irregular speech bubble.

For tagging purposes, a pointy speech bubble should not be considered part of the polygonal group, because of the points.

Handling other text containers

Form tags exist for each type of text container (text_box, thought_bubble). Replace _speech_bubble with the text container tag name (e.g. polygonal_thought_bubble) to find the proper tag for that container. Please do not use speech bubble tags for other text containers.

Form examples

Speech bubble forms

• conjoined_speech_bubble - Two bubbles fused together
• linked_speech_bubble - Two bubbles linked by a chain
• pointy_speech_bubble - A bubble that is exploded outward into pointed spikes, commonly used for raised voices / yelling.
• polygonal_speech_bubble - A bubble with only flat sides

Uncommon

• dotted_line_speech_bubble
• inward_tail_speech_bubble
• irregular_speech_bubble
• outline_speech_bubble
• partial_line_speech_bubble - This is like a partial speech bubble, but has a body.
• puffy_speech_bubble
• shape speech bubble
• heart_speech_bubble
• wavy_speech_bubble

Partial speech containers

• partial_speech_bubble - Depending on how complete it is, this may not count as an actual speech bubble.

Speech bubble properties

• empty_speech_bubble

Appearance

• color_coded_speech_bubble
• dripping_speech_bubble
• speech_bubble_drop_shadow

Colors

- TODO: add

See also

• tag_group:narrative_elements

• dialogue
• inner_monologue
• thought_bubble