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Pedants' corner

why is it that many people like to use quotation marks when writing messages in cards?

50 replies

Tutter · 08/02/2008 09:46

a couple of friends write things like

====

Dear Tutter

"Happy Birthday!"

Love Ojo

====

and i just saw a silica gel pack with

SILICA GEL
THROW AWAY
"DO NOT EAT"

printed on it

OP posts:
hanaflower · 14/02/2008 14:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SheikYerbouti · 14/02/2008 14:20

Theyu are only dogs. They wouldn;'t know what a quotation mark is, let alone how to misuse one

hunkermunker · 14/02/2008 14:20

I have "literally" never seen this done.

OverRated · 14/02/2008 14:26

My MIL always puts them in the subject line of an email.

"Thank you"

"Hello"

and plenty of exclamation marks to ensure she pisses me off properly.

Hello OverRated!

How are you? Is it cold?!!!

Hope you are ok!

MIL

Belgianchocolates · 14/02/2008 14:35

I received a rare e-mail from my mum yesterday. Full of commas and no full stops. Even between the Hello and my name: hello, belgian,...
But the apostrophe problem annoys me lots and lots more than the quotation mark thing. At work (a hospital) I'm surrounded with notices to visitor's and the like. It makes me feel like I want to go around with a great big fat marker pen and change them all. The newsletter of the DC's school is also guilty of those kind of a mistake It's a school, it should be free of mistakes!

SheikYerbouti · 14/02/2008 14:36

My freind does the overuse of ecxlamation marks

I am going shopping with X on Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't Wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did a big poo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and now I am going to eat my sandwich!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

etc

Belgianchocolates · 14/02/2008 14:36

Those kinds of mistakes. . Grammar, belgian, grammar.

meemar · 14/02/2008 14:37

I have a friend who is an over user of exclamation marks too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's so whacky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SheikYerbouti · 14/02/2008 14:38

Don't get me started on apostrophes.

I have been proof reading ads this morning, and I have so far come across "Chef's wanted" and "Employer's: Are you interested in....."

It makes me sad

WanderingTrolley · 14/02/2008 14:41

Apostrophe abuse makes me want to stick knitting needles in my "eye's."

The overexcited use of exclamation marks grates on me.

It's a bit tickertastic, isn't it?

MaryAnnSingleton · 14/02/2008 14:42

my aunt signs her cards to us as "Auntie"

SheikYerbouti · 14/02/2008 14:43

I also have a friend who texts me to say how "board" she is at work. It makes me want to weep.

ProfessorGrammaticus · 14/02/2008 21:46

We got a letter FROM SCHOOL about a student pouring over his books - pouring what? cream? custard?

hanaflower · 15/02/2008 10:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

purplemonkeydishwasher · 15/02/2008 10:46

i'm guilty of the overuse of exclamation points.
i'll oftern re-read an email (or MN post) and find every sentence ends in one. I then have to use 2 to really emphasize things!!

SheikYerbouti · 15/02/2008 12:43

I have just picked DS1 up from pre-school and shuddered at the box marked "Straw's." There's no hope is there?

NoBiggy · 15/02/2008 12:47

I had a very averse reaction to reading that a friend's "heart was literally in my mouth!!!!"

Gak gak gak.

UnquietDad · 15/02/2008 14:16

The school PFA chair does a letter full of exclamation marks!!! She thinks they have to go around in groups!!!! She also does, random commas, in sentences.

Last time I posted about this I was roundly lambasted for criticising the PFA and not being involved myself.

SheikYerbouti · 15/02/2008 14:18

You are right to criticise, UQD.

Is she a wacky and zany kinda gal??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

DualCycloneCod · 15/02/2008 14:20

or " deat tutter" ye is hate it

well done tutt

UnquietDad · 15/02/2008 14:20

I think that's how she wants to appear (!!!!)

UnquietDad · 15/02/2008 14:22

On DD's classroom wall they have numbers up in French, written as words.

They go:

un

deux

trios

quatre

I think someone has allowed their English spellchecker to get the better of them!

SheikYerbouti · 15/02/2008 14:23

There is woman like that at pre-school. She's so KER-AY-ZEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She jollies everyone along to join in stuff,. and she makes me feel like standing there like a petulant child.

She's the sort of wacky character that would sit in a bath of baked beans for Children In Need and dress up as a schoolgirl for Comic Relif. She's MAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

StealthPolarBear · 15/02/2008 14:39

I overuse exclamation marks as I feel I feel my writing is too deadpan if I don't
(see)
I also hatre 'baited breath', it must really stink

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 15/02/2008 14:46

My FIL always signs cards to me with

from FIL ("DH'S DAD")

I have no idea why. The appalling misuse of punctuation is bad enough but also, he has known me for years.

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