Quotation marks
Helpful Information Page No. 1
Japanese and English have different rules for using quotation marks, resulting in Japanese using more quotation marks than English. Understanding the English rules is the first step to knowing when to use quotation marks and when not to. If you use the Japanese rules when you write in English, your writing will have quotation mark errors.
If you are writing in Japanese, you may quote yourself as if you were someone else. You may do this whether or not you are quoting a published article. In English, quoting yourself is permitted only if you are quoting a published text.
The purpose of quotation marks is to set off text. The marks are a way to say, “Everybody, look at me. I’m not the same as the rest of you words here in the text.”
Here are four primary uses for quotation marks.
1. Direct quotations
The author presented her findings at the conference. She said, “This research demonstrates the validity of the argument.”
For direct quotations longer than four lines, quotation marks are not used. Block style is used instead of quotation marks.
In her presentation, the author said the following:
When compared with conventional foods, organic food is significantly different. Organic farming emphasizes using renewable resources and conserving water and soil and water. Organic eggs, milk, cheese, and other dairy products are from animals that have not been given antibiotics or growth hormones. In Italy, law requires that all school lunches be organic. In California, locavores are those who eat only locally grown food. Locavores eat organic foods grown close to home, which means they eat only foods in season. Plus, one global locavore benefit is reducing the amount of fossil fuel required for transporting not in season foods.
2. Titles
Quotation marks are used for the names of songs, short stories, chapters in books, essays, and articles in newspapers. Here’s an example:
Example: He read “Romeo and Juliet.” In the background, we could hear her playing “Sonata in A Major” and “Fugue in D Major,” both by Scarlatti.
Quotation marks are generally not used for the titles of books or the names of laws. Capitalization and italics are generally used for both.
3. Stress
Quotation marks are occasionally used for stress. Please note the word occasionally.
Example: The great war for “peace” left millions homeless, hungry, and hopeless.
Italics for emphasizing specific words are a better option. Here’s the same sentence: The great war for peace left millions homeless, hungry, and hopeless.
Using quotation marks for stress creates the impression that you are questioning the use of the word. In the example below, the writer has a very low opinion of the teacher, questioning if he really was a teacher. Example: My “teacher” started the lesson.
Be careful when using quotation marks for stress. The first example above is acceptable, but the second is not unless you want to question the ability of the teacher.
4. Definitions
Quotation marks are used for definitions. Example: Organic is partially defined as “food grown on pesticide and fertilizer free land.”
Note the word organic is in italics.
If you have specific questions about when to use quotation marks, looking at American university websites may help you find answers to your questions.
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