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Believer Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
putting quotation marks for an adjective-functioning word, phrase, or claus
Hi,
I think an expert here said something to the effect that a word, phrase, or even a clause can be put in quotation marks if its usage or use is abnormal or extraordinary; but I seem to be encountering many instances where a noun is acting as an adjective and that noun doesn't seem to be a usual candidate for that adjectival function. How different in terms of usage it has to be for it to have a privilege of adorning itself with a pair of quotation marks?
example:
a democracy blessing -- Should I put "domocracy" in quotation marks. Usually, I don't see the word "democracy" in an adjectival position, I don't think. Isn't its use unusual? Is it unusal enough?
I think an expert here said something to the effect that a word, phrase, or even a clause can be put in quotation marks if its usage or use is abnormal or extraordinary; but I seem to be encountering many instances where a noun is acting as an adjective and that noun doesn't seem to be a usual candidate for that adjectival function. How different in terms of usage it has to be for it to have a privilege of adorning itself with a pair of quotation marks?
example:
a democracy blessing -- Should I put "domocracy" in quotation marks. Usually, I don't see the word "democracy" in an adjectival position, I don't think. Isn't its use unusual? Is it unusal enough?
Top answer
Well, I don't like your example, because I think an ENL would use 'a blessing of democracy'; but in any case, nouns are frequently used as adjectives-- no quotation marks required. By 'abnormal usage' is generally meant 'abnormal meaning'.
- Well, I don't like your example, because I think an ENL would use 'a blessing of democracy'; but in any case, nouns are frequently used as adjectives-- no quotation marks required.
- By 'abnormal usage' is generally meant 'abnormal meaning'.
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1 Answers
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Well, I don't like your example, because I think an ENL would use 'a blessing of democracy'; but in any case, nouns are frequently used as adjectives-- no quotation marks required. By 'abnormal usage' is generally meant 'abnormal meaning'.
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