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Are quotation marks a think of the past?

I recently read [italic]Let's Get Back to the Party[/italic] by Zak Salih and am currently reading [italic]Memorial[/italic] by Bryan Washington. Neither book features quotation marks when characters speak.

by Anonymousreply 24April 17, 2021 10:43 PM

Oh, dear: "thin[bold]g[/bold] of the past"

by Anonymousreply 1April 11, 2021 7:48 PM

The double-space is a throwback to manual (and electric) typewriters. It was to differentiate the spaces between sentences from spaces between words. Once word processors appeared, the double space wasn’t necessary any longer as the program automatically adjusted spaces after full stops to a visual equivalent.

It took me a long time before I stopped using the double space, but once I started art school in graphic design, it was mandatory.

I have a life, honestly.

by Anonymousreply 2April 11, 2021 8:48 PM

I don’t use quotation marks when I am paraphrasing but write as conversation. I also don’t use them for inner thoughts. If there’s a lot of both, I drop quotes altogether.

by Anonymousreply 3April 11, 2021 9:18 PM

I am noticing more articles with 'single quotation marks' instead of "double quotation marks" I don't understand the difference or why.

by Anonymousreply 4April 11, 2021 10:37 PM

If you are citing something within a quoted sentence it is usual to put the inner citation within single marks to avoid confusion.

by Anonymousreply 5April 11, 2021 10:54 PM

I first noticed this as a literary gayling in French novels translated to English. Some use carat marks to denote a quote.

It's a signifier of "artsy-fartsy high lit-rah-choor!"

I detest it. As an editor for a medium-sized publisher, I reject all submissions that use this pretentious style.

by Anonymousreply 6April 11, 2021 11:21 PM

[quote] Some use carat marks

Oh dear. And you’re an editor. Oh DEAR!

by Anonymousreply 7April 17, 2021 12:51 PM

I don't know but I do know accent marks and italics on DL are try hard and pretentious.

by Anonymousreply 8April 17, 2021 12:55 PM

Is 'Carat marks' like how you measure gold?

by Anonymousreply 9April 17, 2021 12:56 PM

You should only use double quotation marks if you're forced to do so.

by Anonymousreply 10April 17, 2021 1:41 PM

[quote] Neither book features quotation marks when characters speak.

But do the authors say 'he said', 'she said'?

by Anonymousreply 11April 17, 2021 1:44 PM

If you aren’t quoting them exactly then you don’t use the marks.

by Anonymousreply 12April 17, 2021 1:48 PM

"quotation" marks are large, imposing and an intrusion in my word space. Use of the 'single' quotation allows the same messaging and does not devour the word or sentence when using. I'm not sure in what universe someone would double space a paragraph.

by Anonymousreply 13April 17, 2021 2:25 PM

I use single quotes. Quotes inside them get double. If quotes are not exact even though attributed, I do not use any. Instead I use a comma and the inexact quote starts with a capital letter.

by Anonymousreply 14April 17, 2021 2:40 PM

The lack of quotations makes it harder to skim a book.

by Anonymousreply 15April 17, 2021 3:15 PM

Punctuation can be so avant-garde these days

by Anonymousreply 16April 17, 2021 3:24 PM

Are we done yet?

by Anonymousreply 17April 17, 2021 6:49 PM

Depends what you mean by "past"?

by Anonymousreply 18April 17, 2021 6:51 PM

I love Oh Dear trolls like R7. And yes, I'm an editor, not a proofreader. I help writers focus on the overall. Others focus on typos. Besdies, this is DL, not the SATs.

As to quotes, in the single vs. double debate, when a quote is quoting, there's a need for both.

"My brother liked the Beatles' album 'Help' but I didn't," said the musician. "He called it 'not their best.'"

by Anonymousreply 19April 17, 2021 7:32 PM

[quote]Besdies,

And allow me to "Oh, dear" myself!

by Anonymousreply 20April 17, 2021 9:00 PM

[quote] The lack of quotations makes it harder to skim a book.

What is the use of a book… without pictures?

by Anonymousreply 21April 17, 2021 10:14 PM

Quotation marks are so hot right now.

by Anonymousreply 22April 17, 2021 10:15 PM

Punctuation is oppressive. Invented by the white patriarchy.

by Anonymousreply 23April 17, 2021 10:33 PM

[quote] Quotation marks are so hot right now.

Double Quotation marks are like a mouth with too many teeth.

Useless teeth.

by Anonymousreply 24April 17, 2021 10:43 PM
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