Mumble Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I know there's an episode of Friends where Joey doesn't get this, but here goes (incidentally, I do understand its use in Friends, but I'm now totally confused). Can someone explain what it means when someone puts words in "word" and if this is different from 'word' (single marks instead of double). I've had some rather 'interesting' emails about my work (see, I can use them there, and I think that's correct ) with the following statements: You don't "need" to... and You don't "have" to... What do the marks around need and have mean here and how should I be interpreting what to do? Does this actually mean I do need and do have to? I'm really confused (and actually quite angry that fully knowing the probs I have with ASD my supervisor's done this ). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aliwoo Report post Posted January 31, 2009 well i can't say for sure. but i imagine they meant to use them in the same context as you used '...' around the word 'interesting'. i read it as you dont really need to (do whatever it is) but they would lke you to. and you dont really have to (do whatever it is) but they would like you to. hope that helps a little bit? cos i have confused myself Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted January 31, 2009 well i can't say for sure. but i imagine they meant to use them in the same context as you used '...' around the word 'interesting'. i read it as you dont really need to (do whatever it is) but they would lke you to. and you dont really have to (do whatever it is) but they would like you to. Thanks - so if they would like me to do it, should I do it? I can't see why they can't just say, do this, do that, do the other. Why 'hide' instructions causing me anxiety rather than making them clear? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted January 31, 2009 Thanks - so if they would like me to do it, should I do it? I can't see why they can't just say, do this, do that, do the other. Why 'hide' instructions causing me anxiety rather than making them clear? Avoid it if you can - it's a horrid 'habit' that gets difficult to break once you get started on it! It's a bit like over-using exclamation marks!!! If you 'get' what I mean! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fiorelli Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I would say that they have no idea about the use of grammar and have used the wrong 'marks'. "Quotation marks are for just that" - a quotation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted January 31, 2009 Avoid it if you can - it's a horrid 'habit' that gets difficult to break once you get started on it! It's a bit like over-using exclamation marks!!! If you 'get' what I mean! :shame: That really doesn't help me. I still don't know whether I should be doing the tasks or not. I'm very very tempted to not do them and say, well you said I didn't have to do them so I didn't... It would serve them right. I would say that they have no idea about the use of grammar and have used the wrong 'marks'. "Quotation marks are for just that" - a quotation. Absolutely. But single or double, I still don't know what they mean in this case Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted January 31, 2009 Can you email back and say you don't understand this use of quotation marks? I do think it's unhelpful Good luck <'> Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted January 31, 2009 Can you email back and say you don't understand this use of quotation marks? I do think it's unhelpful I wish I could - but this is from the person who's support I don't have anymore. I've got no-one to ask, no way of getting clarification, and all the while my anxiety levels (this isn't the only thing - there's loads of stuff and I'm so fearful of the consequences of doing the wrong thing) are increasing very quickly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted January 31, 2009 Hi again mumble In the past couple of years or so people have also started using quote marks for emphasis instead of using (i.e.) italics... (taking the above: people have also started using quote marks for emphasis instead of using (i.e.) "italics".) Looking at what you've said that could be what's going on here. Technically, speech/quotation marks used to be "double" for speech and quotes and 'single' for quotes/speech within a passage of speech... these days it tends to be either/or as long as you are consistent throughout (most books tend to use singles first and doubles for speech within speech, as a matter of fact.) Example: 'I was walking down the road and I saw my psychiarist and he said "Hello" and I thought "I wonder what he meant by that?".' Anything more or less than that is colloquial/personal style, so as long as you make sure you use them consistently and appropriately in speech or quotes you shouldn't have to worry about anything else. L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ian stuart-hamilton Report post Posted January 31, 2009 (edited) The double and single quotation marks is a matter of personal preference, as both mean the same thing. However, in general, single quotation marks are preferred in British written language and double quotation marks in American written language. However, neither is wrong - provided you're consistent. The exception to this is if you use quotation marks within a quotation. If you normally use single quotation marks, then you should use double quotation marks to indicate a quotation within a quotation, as in the following example: John said, 'Harry said "to be or not to be", which is a quotation from a famous play' If you normally use double quotation marks, then the quotation within the quotation should be in single quotation marks: John said, "Harry said 'to be or not to be', which is a quotation from a famous play" Some publishing houses dislike this style, and instead insist that writers use italics to indicate a quotation within a quotation: John said, 'Harry said to be or not to be, which is a quotation from a famous play' With regard to the use of quotation marks other than to indicate a quotation, they have three basic uses. First, to indicate that the writer does not believe that what is being said is true or is not very appropriate. For example, suppose someone called Sue has had a minor mishap that she is claiming is far more serious than it actually is. Someone reporting on it in a letter might say: I suppose you've heard about Sue's 'tragedy'? Or suppose that someone receives a peerage basically by giving lots of money to the government of the day but everyone knows the person is in reality a complete crook. Let's suppose that the person gives themselves the title of Lord Blankshire. Someone writing about this person might refer to them as 'Lord' Blankshire, indicating that they don't think the title is deserved. A second use is to indicate that what is in quotation marks is what something or someone is actually called. This can sometimes make things easier to read. For example, consider the following sentence, with and without quotation marks: The man was unpopular at work and his colleagues often called him a waste of space. The man was unpopular at work and his colleagues often called him a 'waste of space'. In the second sentence, the use of quotation marks indicate that the man was actually referred to as a 'waste of space' - in other words, it isn't just an insult devised by the author. In the first sentence, without the quotation marks, it's unclear if this is something the colleagues called the man, or whether it was an insult by the author. A third use of quotation marks is to use them as a substitute for italics. In other words, they are used to emphasise the word. Consider the following sentence: You don't 'have' to do it. This emphasises that nobody will make you do it. However, often (though not always) there is a further hidden meaning, which is that although something may not be formally required, it is expected. So a statement such as 'you don't "have" to do it' means 'although there is no formal requirement to do it, you will nonetheless be expected to do it'. Similarly, 'nobody will "make" you' can mean that although nobody will force you to do it, it is nonetheless expected that you will do it. The danger with phrases like this is that you have to be certain that the person writing them knows what they are writing and don't intend a simpler meaning. For example, it's not impossible that a person writing 'you don't "have" to do it' is simply trying to say that really truly and honestly you are not required to do it, and there is no hidden meaning. And yet another meaning of the phrase 'you don't "have" to do it' is that the person writing it is simply saying that there is no requirement or expectation that you do it, and the writer is emphasising this point because they think that too much fuss is being made about something that doesn't have to be done. Accordingly, caution in interpreting such phrases is advised. [EDIT] Between starting my reply and finishing it (I got distracted, it's not that I take a long time to type these replies!) Baddad posted a very helpful and far more succinct explanation of single and double quotation marks. Apologies, Baddad, I wasn't trying to copy from you. Edited January 31, 2009 by ian stuart-hamilton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fiorelli Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I've had some rather 'interesting' emails about my work (see, I can use them there, and I think that's correct ) with the following statements: You don't "need" to... and You don't "have" to... Maybe he meant to write "You don't need to" and "You don't have to". Which I personally would then take to mean him saying maybe "no, you don't have/need to do that thing we were talking about. But I think it might be a good idea if you did. But I can't be seen to be telling you what to do". Does that make sense? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted January 31, 2009 A third use of quotation marks is to use them as a substitute for italics. In other words, they are used to emphasise the word. Consider the following sentence: You don't 'have' to do it. This emphasises that nobody will make you do it. However, often (though not always) there is a further hidden meaning, which is that although something may not be formally required, it is expected. So a statement such as 'you don't "have" to do it' means 'although there is no formal requirement to do it, you will nonetheless be expected to do it'. Similarly, 'nobody will "make" you' can mean that although nobody will force you to do it, it is nonetheless expected that you will do it. The danger with phrases like this is that you have to be certain that the person writing them knows what they are writing and don't intend a simpler meaning. For example, it's not impossible that a person writing 'you don't "have" to do it' is simply trying to say that really truly and honestly you are not required to do it, and there is no hidden meaning. And yet another meaning of the phrase 'you don't "have" to do it' is that the person writing it is simply saying that there is no requirement or expectation that you do it, and the writer is emphasising this point because they think that too much fuss is being made about something that doesn't have to be done. Accordingly, caution in interpreting such phrases is advised. Maybe he meant to write "You don't need to" and "You don't have to". Which I personally would then take to mean him saying maybe "no, you don't have/need to do that thing we were talking about. But I think it might be a good idea if you did. But I can't be seen to be telling you what to do". Does that make sense? GGGGGAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!! :wallbash: *runs for the hills* Yes, thanks Ian and Fiorelli, I 'think' () that makes sense , but I still don't know what sense I'm supposed to make from it if that makes sense. Whatever happened to plain English? I think what's got to me is that he never used to be ambiguous like this and always thought about how I might interpret/not interpret things. Now he doesn't seem to care. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aliwoo Report post Posted January 31, 2009 Maybe he meant to write "You don't need to" and "You don't have to". Which I personally would then take to mean him saying maybe "no, you don't have/need to do that thing we were talking about. But I think it might be a good idea if you did. But I can't be seen to be telling you what to do". Does that make sense? thats what i was trying to get at lol, you put it much better than i did Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I think they are using quotation marks for emphasis. I would interpret those comments to mean that you don't have to do whatever they are advising, but they think it would be a really good idea if you did. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pookie170 Report post Posted February 1, 2009 If it were me, Mumbly, I'd just do the task this person is being ambiguous about. That way, no=one can come back to you in a months time and say, 'But I asked you to do it specifically, in that e-mail!' I think they'd have a job making that stick, as I would read your interesting message as meaning that the work is not essential but it would be preferred that you do it. Seems to be the general consensus. Would you feel able to tell this bloke how confused his wording made you? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites