Quotation "marks" - How are they now "used?"

[Cool-Beans]

Why do "people" use quotation "marks" when they aren't "quoting" something? Are they "emphasizing" whatever it "is" they are "saying," or are "they" "implying" that they don't exactly "mean" what is "in" quotes, but can't figure "out" what they "do" mean?

Or "do" they use them randomly "for" no purpose whatsoever. I doubt "the" last part. But that's just "me."

 

[arkansas mom]

One of my biggest pet peeves is the over-use and misapplication of quotation marks!
This and other common grammar and punctuation faux pas just make my skin crawl! I think Strunk & White's The Elements Of Style should be required reading at every high school in the land!

 

[Cool-Beans]

If I thought these folks were just fools who didn't know what they were for, I wouldn't ask.

I think there is some new, common use for quotation marks and I'm just not hip to it yet.

 

[becka]

They are called scare quotes. Here it the Wikipedia entry:

In journalism, scare quotes are quotation marks used for any other purpose than to identify a direct quotation, such as for emphasis or irony.

Although the term's connotation is not necessarily negative, an author who uses the term scare quotes to describe them generally does so disapprovingly. The effect of using scare quotes is similar to inserting so-called to modify a word: in both cases, the object is to express disagreement with the word, but only by calling attention to the word without actually explaining why the author disagrees with it. For this reason, scare quotes are sometimes called “sneer quotes." In some cases, the scare quotes may be omitted without loss.

In spite of their pejorative label, such quotes may be used legitimately. An author who uses quotation marks in such a manner may do so in order to disclaim responsibility for the words, or to emphasize that a specialized, narrowed or historical sense of the quoted material is being suggested.

Scare quotes are also sometimes called orphan quotes. The spoken equivalent of scare quotes are known as air quotes or finger quotes.

 

[Aidensmom]

I use them the way Becka described, and actually I do it a lot. Did you post this thread about me?

 

[Kimmielee]

I'm "guilty".

 

[Curious]

DIS don't grade me & DIS don't pay me. I figure the same could be said of most folks here. JMHO.

But then I'm a fool in real life (and play one on the DIS), so I wouldn't put much stock in my thoughts on such matters.

 

[Ub_Iwerks]

You see this kind of use more on bulletin boards than you do in standard writing. Since people here are basically having a "conversation," the quotes are used for emphasis that your tone of voice would imply if you were speaking.

 

[N.Bailey]

I'm "Guilty" too, but I always capitalize the first letter in each of the words in quotations. I think this gets a little bit more attention.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I use quotes here in an inappropriate manner if I were to use "air quotes" IRL.

I don't place much stock in the grammar police on the bulletin board. I do my best. But then remember that I won't be flunked off the board if something slips through grammatically that is indeed poor grammar.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Would *stars* be better--I have seen that. Since *stars* are not apart of regular writing excepting for footnoting or endnoting...maybe that is a no no as well.

I'm "confused*.

 

[N.Bailey]

I use quotes here in an inappropriate manner if I were to use "air quotes" IRL.

I don't place much stock in the grammar police on the bulletin board. I do my best. But then remember that I won't be flunked off the board if something slips through grammatically that is indeed poor grammar.

I'm with you, but I take it a step further. I don't even proof read.

 

[FayeW]

I'm a big "fan" of quotation marks also. I read a review that Mary Waring's husband wrote about their visit to a couple of Orlando area dinner shows. In it he referred to his "promiscuous" use of quotation marks in a previous review. Made me chuckle.

 

[Curious]

I'm "confused*.

Luvvit!

 

[DVCLiz]

I went to lunch with my daughter today. We tried a new vegetarian restaurant (although neither of us are vegetarians, we had heard there were some seafood and pasta dishes we would like.) The menu was full of quotation dishes - "chicken", "beef", "seafood", etc. I had a pasta and tomato sauce dish with "shrimp". If you boiled a small rubber ball, then tried to eat it, you would know exactly how the "shrimp" tasted. It was "interesting", to say the least.

 

[AuntieM03]

Crud, I have done it twice today that I can remember. Now I am definitely going to the lower level of grammar/punctuation hell.

 

[poohandwendy]

I "__" when quoting something actually said and '____' when I am just enphasizing or not quoting verbatim. I am sure I am doing it wrong and far too often, LOL.

 

[disykat]

Although I don't use air quotes IRL, I use them here for emphasis.

I just saw a rerun of "Friends" where Joey was using air quotes, but doing it wrong. Hilarious.

 

[SplshMtn99]

Then my "posts" must drive you nuts.......since I'm sure I'm known for my use of punctuation (& run on sentences).

 

[Sleepy]

It's just a message board, not English class. I don't understand why it would matter to anyone how others write.