Scare Quotes and Sneer Words

Scare Quotes and Sneer Words Scare Quotes and Sneer Words Scare Quotes and Sneer Words By Mark Nichol When a writer wishes to call attention to a dubious or specious claim or to a person of questionable honesty, two forms of shorthand are available: scare quotes and sneer words. Scare quotes are quotation marks framing a word or phrase to call attention to it and point out that the writer does not accept the word or phrase as valid or that the writer is casting aspersions. For example, one might write, â€Å"Several ‘experts’ were unable to provide a convincing explanation.† (This sentence mocks the supposed experts for their failure to demonstrate their expertise.) Another use of scare quotes is to point out someone’s disingenuous behavior, as in â€Å"She conveniently ‘forgot’ to send an invitation to her sister-in-law.† (These quotation marks indicate that the forgetfulness was feigned.) An alternate method, one that is necessary in speaking to make one’s point, is to use â€Å"quote-unquote.† In writing, of course, this is redundant to the actual use of scare quotes, but it’s used occasionally in an attempt to be droll, as in â€Å"I walked in to find him quote-unquote indisposed† to refer to someone who is clearly inebriated. The second technique, the name of which seems to have been coined by the late language maven William Safire, is to precede a word or phrase with an adjective that indicates the writer’s disdain. One of those sneer words, supposed, appears above to describe an unimpressive demonstrate of expertise. A synonym is purported, meaning â€Å"claimed†; would-be, when it modifies a title or description of a person, suggests that that person is merely an aspirant to that achievement, as in â€Å"We were unimpressed by the performance of the would-be pop star.† Terms with the same connotation include self-anointed, self-appointed, self-proclaimed, and self-styled. Various other combinations can provide judgmental commentary. For example, to say that somebody is hand-picked can neutrally indicate that the person has been chosen as another person’s successor, assistant, or confidant, but with carefully crafted context, it can also suggest that the hand-picked person is not necessarily qualified or suitable for the job. Once-powerful, meanwhile, suggests that someone has fallen in status; again, context can make clear that the term is deprecatory. Writers should take care when using scare quotes and sneer words; they are at best merely informative, possibly humorous, and at worst malicious. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Incorrect Pronunciations That You Should AvoidHow to Pronounce MobileShore It Up

Root and Butt Rot Tree Disease Management

Root and Butt Rot Tree Disease Management Root and butt rot is one of the most common forms of tree disease affecting hardwoods. Many fungi are capable of causing root rots and some cause considerable decay of the butts of trees as well. Root rots are more common on older trees or trees which have sustained root or basal injury. Root rots thrive on poor soil conditions. Trees with extensive root rot are less able to tolerate extreme weather conditions like extended droughts, long periods of heavy rain, or unusually high temperatures. Recognition Trees with root and butt rots (the one of most concern is Armillaria root disease) typically have combinations of crown dieback, loss and/or discoloration of foliage, and a generally unhealthy appearance. Internally, diseased roots exhibit patterns of discoloration and decay. Diseased trees can live for years without symptoms but, more commonly, trees with extensive root rot decline and eventually die in several years. Conks (fruiting bodies) at or near the base of declining trees are indicators of root rot. Prevention You can only control root diseases in trees by prevention. Prevent root diseases by avoiding root damage and wounds to the lower trunks of trees. When planting trees in areas where trees have previously died of root disease, remove old stumps and roots to reduce local fungus spread. Consider soil sterilization with an appropriate pesticide such as methyl bromide or vapam according to local conditions and state and federal regulations. Contact you county extension agent for specific information. Control Effective treatments for curing established root diseases in trees are unknown. Sometimes careful crown reduction by pruning and fertilization can prolong the life of diseased trees by reducing the transpirational demand on ailing root systems and promoting overall tree vigor.