Unnecessary “quotation” marks. Makes me want to tear out my hair. [thanks nicci]
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Freakgirl is a freelance writer/instructional designer/editor who's always looking for gigs. When she's not slaving over online training or writing articles that explain how stuff works, she's baking cupcakes — or wishing for kittens — or uncorking a bottle of red.
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I always interrupt people who make air quotation marks and ask “what, does that mean ‘as said by bunnies’?” and make hoppy bunnies in the air. It throws them off terribly, and I get to think of happy little bunnies.
Are you here with Lloyd Dobler? How did that “happen?”
So funny Lisa, I thought of the same scene.
Unfortunately, our quote nazi is unclear as to what makes quotation marks unecessary. Otherwise, that site would have been “hilarilous.”
Hey isn’t the Spencer locksmith one correct?- I mean the quotation marks are around the whole slogan and not just the the “let you in part.”
I was wondering about that one. Maggie is correct – the person that runs the site isn’t 100% “sure” what she is “doing.”
I think the point is that a slogan shouldn’t really need to be quoted. Although you commonly see it done, it’s never really made sense to me. What use do the quotes serve in this case? To let me know that you’re telling me something about your company? Well, no crap — it’s on the side of your van, under your company name, of course you’re telling me something.
“Ironic Doom.”
- from Frisky Dingo. Enjoy.
Is the “grammer” typo ironic or just a happy coincidence?
I understand that a slogan doesn’t need to be quoted, but the fact remains that if it’s being presented as a direct quote from the company owner, it should definitely be quoted.
I do not think that the listing on the Wimpy’s menu for fish and chips needs to be followed by this: “It’s a half a pound!” But I can’t necessarily fault it for being anything other than cheesy. However, the part where they say The reason they’re still commin’ back! makes me want to fuse my cutlery with my eyeball.
This reminds me of the Friends episode where Joey kept using the air quotations wrong. funny funny “stuff”
If the owner actually said, “We put ourselves out to let you in,” as part of a conversation with a customer or during a press conference, then I will cede that it should be quoted. Although it would be nice to see the source credited, just so I don’t confuse it with a quote from Tolstoy or Francis Bacon.
Unfortunately, it sounds an awful lot like a gimmicky slogan created either by a marketing professional or somebody pretending to be a marketing professional — in which case, I don’t believe quotes are necessary.
I must applaud Chips. Henceforth, instead of using air quotes, I shall simply say, “As said by bunnies.” Loves it!
enjoy it. it throws people off, and hopefully they’ll stop it forever.
unless things were actually said by happy bunnies.
Chips – you just made me snort. “As said by bunnies” – hilarious!
Chips, you made me laugh so hard, I dropped my pancreas!!