Comments on: I wanna hold you in parenthesis

By: Robin Green

Robin Green — Sat, 30 Oct 2004 23:34:57 +0000

raises money for fighters of U.S. (policy) in Iraq, How pathetic is that “clarification”? It’s disgraceful that the Republicans will now stoop to painting mainstream organisations as funders of terrorists.

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 30 Oct 2004 14:37:20 +0000

If Dr. Evil can use air quotes, why can’t DeLay use air parens?

By: KCinDC

KCinDC — Sat, 30 Oct 2004 00:56:03 +0000

Using () for interpolations in quotes is perfectly normal in newspapers, presumably because in earlier decades the more generally used [] were not part of the newspaper character set. This interpolation, however, seems more than a bit fishy.

By: kathryn from sunnyvale

kathryn from sunnyvale — Fri, 29 Oct 2004 23:08:24 +0000

When you write that Delay was quoted accurately, then this (“raises money for fighters against the U.S. in Iraq”) is the accurate statement? Thus the parenthetical comments were the reporter’s (until now forgotten) telepathy-thought-tape-recorder’s version? I just haven’t seen the use of “()’s” for these sorts of comments. Usually a reporter or editor would use “[]’s” for their [sic]’s and [additional information]’s, no? The reporter’s email address is likely to be first initial lastname @ hcnonline.com, based on Houston Community newspapers “about us” webpage (http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=2400669&BRD=1574&PAG=461&dept_id=542121&rfi=6)

By: rea

rea — Fri, 29 Oct 2004 22:34:13 +0000

“I’m (not) guilty,” confessed the defendant.