Attorney: "When are you supposed to use the straight quotes and when are you supposed to use those other, more curved quotes?"
Me: "What?"
Attorney: "A client took out the curved quotes on this document and put in the straight ones. I need to know when to use each one."
(Just to clear this up now--Yes, I do know they are called smart quotes. You correct an attorney who's just had their document changed by a client.)
Me: "Uhhh. Well. I'm not...
Attorney: "I know when you are doing inches or minutes you ...." (random mumbling that I didn't follow.)
I didn't know there was a difference in usage, much less what that difference was. Wasn't it more a matter of aesthetics and preference than a "rule"? And the PL/Biller who was standing there the entire time offered no input. Thanks. But she was clearly unhappy with her document being changed so I made something up.
Me: "I think you use the smart quotes when you are quoting someone as opposed to..."
Attorney: "That sounds right. I think that's right."
After doing research on this, I cannot find a difference. From what I can tell it is a matter of aesthetics and preference. Anyone know differently? Please tell me if there is, 'cause now I'd like to know. My English teachers would be so proud of me.
2 comments:
"Special Symbols:
The hash marks that denote inches and feet (called "primes") are properly rendered as straight marks ( 6' 5" ) and are generally found among the special symbols of a printer’s typeface or word processing program. Avoid using the quotation mark key for this purpose since many typographic fonts and software programs, such as Word and WordPerfect, may display the curly "smart quotes."
Best I could find for you.
MIGANJ
I was right?
I was right! Hooray, me!
~PL/OM
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