just guessing here, but in the example you cited it's likely because someone that the reporter interviewed used those words, so they were quoting that individual.
that's not to say, though, that i don't see plenty of instances of horrible writing in the media. ugh.
Could be, but you'd think they'd just leave the quotes out. In this case, I don't think they were actually quoting someone, though. I've seen it used properly when they take someone's direct words and printed them, and that is correct, of course. :)
well, I know that I have done it. It seems to be a way of lessening a blow or saying something like the hotel robber bit, but without actually saying it in a covering-your-ass kind of way. I've also used it to emphasize something or bring a note of sarcasm. The sarcasm thing I think started when people started doing the quote thing in real life saying words and making the symbols (I recall specifically that happening in regard to homosexuality before it was more accepted) and it morphed over into text adding in all that it was used for verbally and more. /shrug
sometimes it gets annoying to me to have it over-used or have them used for different reasons in the same post/article, but I understand it mostly anyway, so again /shrug.
I did something in this comment that could be construed that way. I've thought about it, in light of this post, and I've decided it doesn't really fit with what you're complaining about. My use of quotation marks around the word "promised" is intended as a quotation, because he used that word to describe a situation that without further proof I frankly don't believe.
Yeah, I don't know - I glanced at my Elements of Style (and Elements of Grammar) books, but didn't really see anything that further explained or suggested proper usage, except when directly quoting someone. It does mention people do use them to make, say satirical statements, though. Doesn't say if it's actually good grammar usage, just that it is done sometimes. So...no real "true" answer, I suppose.
Doesn't stop the fact they do get overused in the media an awful lot, though.
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that's not to say, though, that i don't see plenty of instances of horrible writing in the media. ugh.
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The sarcasm thing I think started when people started doing the quote thing in real life saying words and making the symbols (I recall specifically that happening in regard to homosexuality before it was more accepted) and it morphed over into text adding in all that it was used for verbally and more. /shrug
sometimes it gets annoying to me to have it over-used or have them used for different reasons in the same post/article, but I understand it mostly anyway, so again /shrug.
hope that makes sense.
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Doesn't stop the fact they do get overused in the media an awful lot, though.
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