Re: Guillemets

From: Werner Lemberg (a7971428@unet.univie.ac.at)
Date: Fri Jul 17 1998 - 18:25:01 EDT


On Fri, 17 Jul 1998, Otto Stolz wrote:

> Am 1998-07-17 um 8:23 h hat Michael Everson geschrieben:
> > Are these not also called "goose feet"?
>
> In German (mostly in primary schools), the quotation marks are termed
> "Gänsefüßchen" which translates to "goose feet". Older pupils learn the
> official term, "Anführungszeichen" which translates to "quotation marks".

The reason for calling them "Gänsefüßchen" is rather obscure: the shape of
printed quotation marks resembles the form of a "Runkelrübe" (turnip?),
and this plant belongs to the family of "Gänsefußgewächse"
(Chenopodiaceae) -- spinach is in the same family...

    Werner



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