Quotes from work

[Jonathon]

Also forbidden: using quotes for slogans (like the billboard around here that says "Lowbook Sales 'Buys Cars'") and using quotes for everything that sounds slangy or even remotely casual.

[rivka]

Absotively.

[Neutros the Radioactive Dragon]

Posilutley.

[Tante Shvester]

And there is "someone" on Hatrack who is working on their third year's worth of days.

Rivka, sometimes you just "crack" me the "heck" up.

[Jonathon]

Tante, please "knock it off."

[rivka]

 

[Tante Shvester]

Tante, please "knock it off."

"pouts"

[rivka]

Using quotes for emphasis kills no kittens. However, I devoutly believe that you lose a day of your life for each offense. (And there is someone on Hatrack who is working on their third year's worth of days. )

Make that fourth.

>.<

[dkw]

Should it be "The staff are doing xyz" or "The staff is doing xyz"?  

I vote for "are," since "staff" in this case seems to be short for "the members of the staff."  

[Porter]

Either one works.

I believe we had a discussion about "This couple is" vs. "This couple are" around a year ago.

[Jonathon]

I prefer "are" there, too. The notion of plurality seems more significant than the notion of the staff members' unity.

[Tante Shvester]

Unless the staff is planning to go out on strike.

[goofy]

I think quotes on signs make a lot of sense... they're used for emphasizing a word where no other method of emphasis exists.

[Porter]

Except for bolding, italicizing, underlining, color, font...

[goofy]

Often those things aren't available or are hard to use. McWhorter calls it an "underground alternative punctuation."

[Porter]

capitalization...

[rivka]

I think quotes on signs make a lot of sense... they're used for emphasizing a word where no other method of emphasis exists.

They could use an apostrophe-ess.

[Jonathon]

Often those things aren't available or are hard to use. McWhorter calls it an "underground alternative punctuation."

Really? I can't imagine why any of those things would be unavailable on billboards or other signs. If they can typeset a regular font they can just as easily do bold or italics at the very least.

Also, though I like McWhorter, I don't really find the analogy of quotes for emphasis and "impact" as a verb compelling at all. One is a shift from one part of speech to another, which really throws some people, and the other is a misuse of punctuation marks, which are by nature artificial and thus, in my opinion, more easily subject to arbitrary rules.

[goofy]

Really? I can't imagine why any of those things would be unavailable on billboards or other signs. If they can typeset a regular font they can just as easily do bold or italics at the very least.

I was thinking of those signs with the premade letters you have to slot in, but yes.

Also, though I like McWhorter, I don't really find the analogy of quotes for emphasis and "impact" as a verb compelling at all. One is a shift from one part of speech to another, which really throws some people, and the other is a misuse of punctuation marks, which are by nature artificial and thus, in my opinion, more easily subject to arbitrary rules.

That sounds reasonable, except that quotation marks seem to be just as mutable as other features of language, judging by all these signs where they're used for emphasis.

Quotation marks are a relatively recent invention, they're very rare before the 19th century. They are used for highlighting in standard English (scare quotes), so an extension to using them as emphasis is not surprising. I know you guys don't like them. Please go on not liking them. I'm just saying.

[Jonathon]

Ah. I wasn't thinking of those sorts of signs. I could see using quotes for emphasis there if it was really necessary and that was the only option.

And I do agree that quotation marks, like everything else, is mutable, regardless of its origin. Punctuation has changed quite a bit in the last couple centuries, and we think of this as an improvement.

I can see why people think they need quotes for emphasis or for whole slogans. I just don't think they really do, because sometimes it causes unintentional alternate readings, and sometimes it's just visually distracting. I think that in general, the average layperson overestimates the amount of visual emphasis or adornment they need to apply to text.

[Sheila]

Sometimes the keeper of the vision gets in the way of progress

I really wish I could provide the context for that.

[Tante Shvester]

You work in an office where they do laser vision correction surgery?

[goofy]

I can see why people think they need quotes for emphasis or for whole slogans. I just don't think they really do, because sometimes it causes unintentional alternate readings, and sometimes it's just visually distracting. I think that in general, the average layperson overestimates the amount of visual emphasis or adornment they need to apply to text.

I'd agree with that. I still like them tho.

[Jonathon]

Fair enough.

[weezer]

Really? I can't imagine why any of those things would be unavailable on billboards or other signs. If they can typeset a regular font they can just as easily do bold or italics at the very least.

I was thinking of those signs with the premade letters you have to slot in, but yes.
 

Marquees? There are red letters available for these signs. I find that a red word stands out more than a word with quotation marks around it.