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So-called "xxxxxxxxxx&quo t; . . .

(10 Posts)
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Elegran Wed 12-Apr-23 15:27:45

The use of inverted commas seems to have changed. Whenever I see something like 'I have a new sofa for my "livingroom" ', I think the meaning is that the "livingroom" isn't really a room to live in at all, but some strange place (a large cardboard box in the garage?) which the writer is temporarily calling a livingroom as a joke. However, recently the inverted commas seem to be used to mark the word out as a kind of official label for something.
It has now appeared in one of the Games threads, as part of the title of "Items found in the "bathroom" " which follows on from ^"Items found in the "kitchen" " Is that the so-called bathroom and kitchen or the real ones?

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Wheniwasyourage Wed 12-Apr-23 15:52:28

Yes, I've wondered why that has appeared on those threads too. I don't play on the alphabetical Games threads, so I assumed that the definitions of the rooms were a bit elastic and that's why the inverted commas were there..

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Elegran Wed 12-Apr-23 17:36:28

Hmm, yes, I suppose you might find some "bathroom" items on a dressing-table in a bedroom, or in a utility room (where all kinds of things live which don't have a home anywhere else.).

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Primrose53 Wed 12-Apr-23 21:32:32

Inverted Commas are called quotation marks or quotes these days. 😉

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Wheniwasyourage Thu 13-Apr-23 14:35:06

Ooh-er. Sorry Missus, but I'll call them what I want! And while I might use the term "quotation marks", I certainly wouldn't call them "quotes".

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Tweedle24 Thu 13-Apr-23 15:01:16

I seem to remember some years ago hearing about some one, or a group of people, travelling around removing unnecessary inverted commas. This was mainly on menus, price lists etc. we have all seen them used there. Are ‘tomatoes’ really apples or ‘bananas’ really cucumbers?

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eazybee Thu 13-Apr-23 16:22:19

Not quite the same thing, but I can't bear it when people are talking and suddenly waggle two fingers of each hand to indicate they are apparently talking in inverted commas.

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Primrose53 Thu 13-Apr-23 16:52:35

Wheniwasyourage

Ooh-er. Sorry Missus, but I'll call them what I want! And while I might use the term "quotation marks", I certainly wouldn't call them "quotes".

Sorry if you are offended but you are of course, free to call them what you like. 🙂. This is, after all, “Pedants’ Corner”. 😉

The terms “quotation marks” and “quotes” have been in use for many decades since keyboards came into our lives.

A person dictating a letter would also say “insert quotes” and “remove quotes” around specific parts.

I doubt if anybody under about 40 would know them as “inverted commas”.

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GrannySomerset Thu 13-Apr-23 16:57:51

And as for apostrophes …….

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Jane71 Thu 13-Apr-23 17:09:36

"Items found in the "bathroom"

Perhaps it's in quotes because a lot of people say the bathroom when they mean the toilet. I'm not sure what is wrong with saying toilet.

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