[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re:, question for Amanda

[Amanda Lewanski]

Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer wrote:

> That's a huge pet peeve of mine too, Parker!  The rule I remember from
> elementary school is so simple that I find it strange that people make
> these contraction mistakes (if you read the sentence & you can replace
> its with "it is" than you need the apostrophe; if it makes no sense to
> replace it with "it is," then you don't!).  "The clock chimed its
> bells on the half-hour."  "It's time for bed, Johnny!"

I haven't answered the main post yet, but this reminded me of my
personal pet peeve. It's getting to be a very common usage in ads and on
signs down here, and it's nothing in any text I've ever looked at. I
just see it everywhere and hate it. It's the use of double quotation
marks as emphasis. Examples:

Come in and see our "quality" merchandise!
"Everything" on sale!
"Please" keep door shut.
Etc.

This drives me bats, because in writing, this sort of usage of double
quotes properly indicates (how to phrase this..) a slight level of
"yeah, right." Sarcasm. [the term for saying something and meaning the
opposite, or not meaning it to the point where you want to call
attention to it, eludes me.] In fact, double quotes used this way have
entered spoken language (and gestural, for those who speak with their
hands--the little "hookies" you make with the first two fingers when you
say "quote-unquote"). Example: (spoken): "Rush Limbaugh is a
(quote-unquote) Authority on golf." [hands held up, fingers making
little crooking motions]

Using it as emphasis, instead, just like bolding or underlining, thus
edges into the ridiculous, if you take the quotes as being around
something that's not really meant. [All "Ladies" Drink Free!
All Sales "Guaranteed"!]

Okay, I'm going to go eat something now. Low blood sugar makes me
grouchy.

--Amanda