27.0 Misusing Quotation Marks, Writing Formally

How Do People Use Quotation Marks Correctly?

Quotation marks are used to show that the writer is now writing down words that somebody else is saying. This is important for three main reasons:

• The writer is using the other person's words to prove a point, in a report or essay. We'll call this Quotation as Proof.
• The writer is inventing dialogue, imaginary words that nobody else actually said, but the author wants to act as though somebody else said it, as in a story or anecdote. We'll call this Quotation as Dialogue.
• The writer is using a word that other people, but the writer wants to talk about the other person's use of the word, not the other person's ideas. This can be to make fun (I don't know, "can" you go to the bathroom) or to try and understand how the other person uses language (What does Spinoza mean by "essence"?) We'll call this one Quotation to Discuss Words.

The key is that all the uses, if you think about it, have to do with other people's words.

How Do People Use Quotation Marks Incorrectly?

When a writer uses the Quotations to Discuss Words category, the reader generally stresses that word to make it sound different from the rest of the sentence. They say it a little louder and more forcefully. That's caused some people to get mixed up and think that quotations are good for any time you want to emphasize something. They write things like, We will be "closed" from Monday to Thursday this week. They want to write something like We will be closed from Monday to Thursday this week. They are trying to point out the most important word in the sentence.

However, those quotation marks do emphasize "closed," but they also make it ironic. So, if you try to use quotation marks to emphasize importance, it backfires. You sound like you are making a joke. We will be "closed" early tomorrow means that you won't be "closed," because you are being ironic. As though you are going to put up a "closed" sign on the door, but secretly, you'll be open.

This drives people who know how to use quotation marks crazy. Sometimes, they can be kind of mean about it, because it's one of those things where educated, wealthier people are usually making fun of less educated, less wealthy people.

Can I Have Some Examples of How to Use Quotation Marks INCORRECTLY?

Sure, here's a pretty funny blog that points out how badly things can look if you don't know what you're doing with punctuation.