Is there any difference between the symobls " and '?

Arpeggionist

Yes. The double quotation marks are only used as quotation marks, or for specific emphasis on a word or term which would come between them. The other can be used as a quotation mark or an apostrophe. Mar 07 05, 11:25 AM

Baloo55th

When used singly, as Arpy says, ' is an apostrophe. When used in pairs, there is no practical difference. Consistency is the main thing. If you are writing dialogue, choose one sort and stick to it. The exception comes when you have someone speaking and quoting (or in non-dialogue, when you are quoting someone who quotes someone else), when you use one sort at the start and finish, and the other for the middle bit (the quote in quote). This can mean you end up with .'". or '". or "'. or ".'. or even, if a triple quote has taken place, "'". This can get word processors very upset, if you are using smart quotes to give the real printers' curly ones. In German, they use << or < and >> or > similarly, and French can just use - and someone also uses " and , (where the " is down at the bottom) at the start, and in the normal English position at the end - can't remember who. Mar 07 05, 3:16 PM

kaylofgorons

My friend said, "She said, 'he said, 'you said, 'they said 'that he did.''" ? Mar 07 05, 5:40 PM

Baloo55th

Something like that, only I would use " for the main speech, ' for the first inserted quote, and then " again for the second quote, which would give you "She said, 'he said, "you said, 'they said, "he did." ' " ' ". Or, without the spaces to make it clear, "'"'" They would have said "he did" not "that he did". If you said that they said that he did, there wouldn't be any quotes. Think there should be some more full stops in there as well. Will look back at this when rested. Mar 07 05, 7:33 PM

gmackematix

Well ' are 12 times longer than ". Mar 07 05, 9:42 PM

kaylofgorons

I was being goofy, but I'm glad it gave you something to do. Mar 07 05, 10:08 PM

gmackematix

Well I was talking about feet and inches. What are you talking about? Mar 07 05, 10:43 PM

Arpeggionist

The differences in the order of quotation marks seem to lie among other differences betweeen English and American writers. Kaylo is American, Baloo is going with the English method of writing. Mar 08 05, 3:07 AM

Baloo55th

No, you can start with either " or '. Matter of personal choice. Just so long as you remember which you are using if there is little dialogue or there are few quotes. Bad form to use " for one quote and ' for another. Even worse to start with " and finish with ' or vice versa. As I said, when embedding quotes remember your maths. When you use brackets in maths you have to close any bracket you open. Same with quotes. A " quote must end with a ", and they must be in the right order when closing. Incidentally, ' can also be a letter in Semitic languages, usually written like a curly quote for starting. When using fonts like this, you don't have much chance. Mar 08 05, 7:10 PM

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