unquote
MediumInformal to neutral, primarily used in spoken and written dialogue.
Definition
Meaning
Used to signal the end of a quotation or of a word or phrase being quoted verbatim.
Used ironically or emphatically to distance oneself from a quoted term, indicating that it's not one's own choice of wording or that it should be considered critically.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Unquote" is almost exclusively used in the fixed phrase "quote ... unquote" or as a spoken interjection. It marks textual boundaries in speech and functions pragmatically as a metalinguistic comment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant syntactic or semantic differences. Usage is identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Can sound slightly dated or formal in its full "quote ... unquote" form. The ironic usage is common in both.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English media, but the difference is minimal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[QUOTE] X [UNQUOTE]X, quote unquote, Yspoken: ...unquote.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “quote unquote”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used in informal reports or meetings to mock a corporate buzzword: 'The new strategy will increase our quote-unquote synergy.'
Academic
Very rare in formal writing. Occasionally used in lectures or seminars when verbally citing a dubious term.
Everyday
Most common. Used in conversation to indicate sarcasm or exact wording: 'He gave me his quote-unquote expert opinion.'
Technical
Used in journalism, transcription, and some forms of scriptwriting to verbally denote quotation marks.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He would quote and unquote passages with theatrical flair.
American English
- In the transcript, please clearly mark where you unquote.
adverb
British English
- She said the deal was, quote, fantastic, unquote.
American English
- He called it a, quote, revolutionary product, unquote.
adjective
British English
- The unquote function is rarely labelled as such in software.
American English
- There's no unquote button on the old typewriter.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He said the food was, quote, 'interesting', unquote.
- The manager promised a quote-unquote 'comprehensive review' of the process.
- The politician's pledge to provide 'quote, transparent governance, unquote' was met with widespread scepticism from the press.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of it as the opposite action of "quote." You start a quotation with QUOTE and finish it with UN-QUOTE (undoing the quoting).
Conceptual Metaphor
QUOTING IS ENCLOSING (in marks); UNQUOTING IS RELEASING/OPENING THE ENCLOSURE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as "раскрыть кавычки" in most contexts. It is a fixed discourse marker.
- The phrase 'quote unquote' functions as a unit, similar to the hand gesture of making air quotes.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'unquote' without 'quote' in formal writing.
- Placing it incorrectly: 'He was a, quote, hero unquote.' (Correct: 'He was a quote-unquote hero.')
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is 'unquote' used most naturally?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In spoken English, yes, often as an interjection after a quoted phrase ('He said it was perfect. Unquote.). In writing, it is almost always part of 'quote-unquote'.
No, it is informal. In formal writing, use standard quotation marks instead of saying 'quote unquote'.
Making air quotes with your fingers while speaking physically represents the verbal phrase 'quote unquote'. Both indicate that the enclosed words are a quotation or are being used ironically.
It immediately follows the quoted material. In the construction 'a quote-unquote expert', it acts as a compound modifier before the noun.