More evidence of typographic rage: The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks. I have posted on this phenomenon before, here, here, here, and here. Perhaps I need a new tag for this issue.
However, it’s the difference wherein the interest lies. Unlike obsessing about straight versus typographic quotes this is more straightforwardly a “semantic” issue about the significance of embedding material within quotations. But the actual usage of quotation is quite complex as anyone familiar with the recent philosophical literature on quotation will attest. Far more complex than the simple semantics implicit in the charge of rampant use/mention conflation. Personally I abhor the use of quotation marks for emphasis, but the my distaste for it is simply that, distaste. It’s vulgar and largely confined to cheap marketing.
Semantic drift is a reality. Don’t fear change. It will only result in needless rage.
{ 2 } Comments
Man, do I resemble this remark!
I went through a semi-colonitis phase a few years ago.
Now I’m going through a “quotationitis” phase.
Also writing some cheap marketing… it’s bleeding over.
WRT colonitis: http://markelikalderon.com/blog/2008/08/19/real-men-dont-use-semicolons/
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