When my clients ask me when they should use scare quotes in formal writing, I usually tell them to use scare quotes sparingly and only when they have no other choice. The following is a slightly longer answer.
What are scare quotes or scare marks?
As well as indicating direct quotation, dialogue, a word used as a word, titles of works, and more, quotation marks may also function as scare quotes, or scare marks. Here’s when to use scare quotes in formal writing.
When to use scare quotes in formal writing: Advice from a freelance editor
There are five uses of scare quotes in formal writing that I can think of:
- Use scare quotes to indicate irony: A word or phrase enclosed in scare quotes may indicate you’re using it in an ironic way. As an alternative to using scare quotes in academic writing, you can write so-called before the term to signal irony (for example, instead of “free gift”, say so-called free gift. If, however, you want to remain on the safe side, avoid using scare quotes for irony in academic writing.
- Use scare quotes to indicate a word used in an unusual way: In formal writing you want to be clear and accurate, so stick to the dictionary meaning of a word. If you must depart from the standard definition of a word, enclose it in scare marks. If that term appears more than once in the same text, use scare quotes only the first time.
- Use scare quotes to indicate slang: If you need to use a piece of slang in formal writing, you may enclose that term in scare quotes.
- Use scare quotes to indicate technical jargon: Scare marks may also signal to the reader that you’re using technical jargon. But avoid jargon if you can.
- Use scare quotes to indicate a neologism: A word that hasn’t yet become part of the English language is a neologism. If you want to use a word that’s not in the dictionary in formal texts, you can set it off in scare marks.
In conclusion, you may add scare quotes to a word or phrase used in a special way. Just remember that being too generous with scare quotes in formal writing is just as annoying as air quoting when speaking.
Do you need to hire a freelance editor to edit a piece of formal writing? Send me a message at editor@languageediting.com.
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- Why your grammar checker can’t make documents perfect
Last revised on 3 September 2022
