Why are quotes needed?

Punctuation is one of the most difficult sectionsRussian language not only for foreigners, but also for the Russians themselves. Today's topic will be devoted to such a punctuation mark as the quotation marks. We will find out why quotes are needed and how to use them correctly in written speech.

A few facts about the origin of quotes

Quotes are a punctuation mark relatively young. They appeared in Russian punctuation around the end of the 18th century. However, before this (from about the XVI century) quotes were used as a musical notation. It is also interesting, where the very word "quotes" came from. Here, the opinions of linguists diverge, but most scholars agree that the word is derived from the verb "kovykat." In translation from one of the South-Russian dialects this word means "limping," "hobbling". Why such a strange association? It's simple - in the same dialect "kavysh" means "gosling" or "duckling". Hence the "quotes" are scribbles, traces of goose or duck paws.

Types of quotes and their use in Russian punctuation

There are several kinds of quotes, andThey are called by the name of the country from which they originated, and also by their similarity with objects. The first of the two kinds of quotes used in Russian is French fir-trees, the second kind of quotes, also used in Russian written language, is called the German "paws". More details about the rules for the use of Christmas trees and paws just below, but for now, let's talk about two more types of quotes that are not used in Russian punctuation, but, nevertheless, many of them mistakenly use it. These are English 'single' and 'double' quotes. According to the rules of Russian punctuation, you can use only French fir-trees and German paws. Christmas trees are used as usual quotes, and the paws are used as "quotes" inside the "quotes", as well as when writing the text manually.

Rules for the use of quotes in a sentence

We introduce one more definition of quotation marks. In quotation marks, we refer to the paired punctuation mark, by means of which certain types of speech and meanings of words are singled out on the letter. What are these types of speech? First, these are quotes from some sources. In Russian, in many cases, it's better to use quotation marks instead of the copyright symbol - (c). Secondly, with the help of quotes in the text stands out a direct speech. If we talk about words in quotes, then there are also two rules for their statement. First, the names of various organizations, enterprises, firms, brands, grades, etc., stand out in quotation marks. Secondly, with the help of quotes, you can give the word an indirect, that is, a portable value, including the opposite and / or ironic. For example, the word "clever", marked with quotes, can mean a person who is either stupid or has committed some absurd or rash act. We are sure that now it will not be difficult for you to write an essay on the topic "Why quotes are needed". About other punctuation marks, read in our other articles!