Table of Contents
What Are Quasi-Quotemarks?
Quasi-quotemarks—also known as quasiquotes—are quotation marks
with hyphens placed directly beneath them. They were used to signal that the enclosed
text was a paraphrase, not an exact quotation. In essence, they told
readers, “This reflects what was said, but not word-for-word.”
Classic example: “something like this,” (a paraphrase)
ASCII alternative: -like this-
Origins and Historical Context
The idea was introduced by Jack Speer in the 1940s within science fiction fandom.
In the days of manual typewriters, accurately quoting someone could be both inconvenient and unnecessary.
Instead of using phrases like “or words to that effect,” Speer proposed a cleaner visual shorthand.
On a typewriter, writers would type a quotation mark, hit backspace, then type a -,
creating the illusion of a small hyphen beneath the mark. This creative solution was practical—until
word processors made such precise positioning impossible.
Why Were They Useful?
They visually distinguished paraphrases from literal quotations without needing lengthy explanations.
They implied the writer took responsibility for the accurate meaning of what was said, even if the exact wording was changed.
How to Use Quasiquotes Correctly
- Use them when the substance of a statement matters more than its exact phrasing.
- Avoid them in contexts that require verbatim accuracy—legal, technical, or academic citations.
- If you adjust verb tenses or sentence structure, quasiquotes mark those modifications elegantly.
Example 1 (modern paraphrase):
— “Every truly active fan I know is somewhat eccentric”, Miske remarked.
The core meaning remains, though the exact wording differs from the original.
Quasi-Quotemarks in the Digital Age
Today, the practice has largely disappeared. With digital typography, reproducing a hyphen beneath quotation marks
requires either custom HTML/CSS or strikethrough formatting as an approximation. Despite that,
few modern writers in fan communities use the convention.
“Quasiquotes remain a charming reminder that clarity and honesty in writing once had their own typographical mark.”
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