[XeTeX] Whoever said quotation-marks are unimportant?

[Bruno Voisin]

Le 28 juil. 08 à 18:29, John Was a écrit :

> Usually nowadays in English typesetting the first level
> of quotation is marked by single quotes, double only for quotes within
> quotes (then back to single for quotes within quotes within  
> quotes).  That's
> comparatively modern, though - in the nineteenth century the  
> preference was
> the opposite.

Thanks to all for your answers: that was fascinating read. With these  
explanations regarding quotations, and the information by Wilfred  
about using single quotes for marking emphasis or irony, everything's  
getting clear now.

The explanations about Latin were also quite interesting. When a  
child, reading the Asterix comics, I was persuaded the Romans used  
slabs of stones for engraving usual correspondence, reports,  
newspapers and the like! Even years afterwards, after studying Latin,  
reading the " Guide Romain Antique " (former French students will know  
what I'm talking about!) and realizing this was not the case, the  
image remains engraved (!) in my mind.

Bruno Voisin