WHAT ARE QUOTATION MARKS FOR IN A TEXT? - LITERATURE - 2025

The quotes in a text serve several purposes. In general, its use frames and differentiates one or more words from the rest. This spelling sign is double. That is, it is used at the beginning to open and at the end of the text to close.

On the other hand, in Spanish there are three types of quotation marks: angular, also called Latin or Spanish («»), English (“”) and simple (''). In principle, it is recommended to use the chevrons.

However, the use of English is much more widespread. In case of citing texts already cited, this order is recommended: Latin, English and simple. For example: «He said verbatim: 'Forget about that' brother ', I'm not going” ».

Uses and examples of quotation marks in a text

Reproduction of quotes

The quotation marks are used when a verbatim quote is reproduced, that is, when a text is transcribed verbatim. For example:

«Writing is communication. One writes for another to read. Rarely does someone write for himself: an agenda, a diary, some notes. It is more normal to write to tell someone something: an email, a report… »

(Pérez Colomé, 2011, p. 11).

Thoughts of the characters in literary works

Another use of quotation marks is to frame the thoughts of characters in literary narratives. Here is an example:

«The Sorcerer left the table with these mental phrases:

-» Dog does not eat dog. Let Balbino believe you. The peon told you all that ”».

(Excerpt from the novel Doña Bárbara, by Rómulo Gallegos).

Inappropriate or vulgar expressions

Quotation marks are used to highlight inappropriate or vulgar phrases. Note its use in the following heading:

"Forgive the question: where does the word 'me cachis' come from?

Express joy or sadness. Surprise, amazement… And we know nothing of its origin ».

Foreigners

Foreign words are those terms from other languages ​​that have kept their original form in the spelling (sometimes also in pronunciation).

To indicate that these are words outside the Spanish spelling, quotation marks or italics are used.

Thus, among the latest foreign words accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy are "fair play" (from English: fair game) and "cracker" (from English: person who violates computer security systems).

Irony and expressions with a special meaning

Those expressions that have an ironic character or that have a special meaning are enclosed in quotation marks. The following excerpt illustrates this point:

"At your command," said the introduced, laconically, barely touching the brim of his hat. A man with square features, close-browed, not very nice at first glance. One of those men who are always "naked", as the llanero says, especially in the presence of strangers.

(Excerpt from the novel Doña Bárbara, by Rómulo Gallegos).

Partial titles of a literary work or collection of texts

The titles of works and collections are generally written in italics. However, for chapter titles or other sections, quotation marks are used. Note the example below:

-From the collection of 20 love poems and a desperate song, he used to recite "poem 20" by heart.

References

1. Royal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (2005). Quotation marks. Pan-Hispanic Dictionary of Doubts (1st edition). Retrieved on January 8, 2018, from lema.rae.es.
2. Pastor, A.; Escobar, D.; Mayoral, E. and Ruiz, F. (2010). General culture. Madrid: Editorial Paraninfo.
3. Thief from Guevara, MA (2016). Linguistic competence in Spanish. La Rioja: Training Tutor.
4. Robles Ávila, S. (2012). The words of advertising and dictionaries: the case of foreign words. In A. Nomdedeu, E. Forgas and M. Bargalló, (editors), Avances de lexicografía hispánica, pp. 429-442. Tarragona: Publications Rovira i Virgili University.
5. Gutiérrez, R. (2017, December 20). These are the new foreign words accepted by the RAE. Retrieved on December 08, 2017, from lanetanoticias.com.
6. Cascón Martín, E. (1998). Spelling: from use to norm. Madrid: Editorial Edinumen.