So, quick question. I'm working on this @#$%$%#@#& thesis on gay philanthropy and sometimes I use the word 'out' with quotation marks and sometimes without. It wasn't a conscious decision, just inconsistency on my part. A reader commented on this.

I recently read somewhere (maybe here at OutSports) that it is time for our community to lose the quotes. What do you think? I'm thinking out is a common enough word now that the quotes are not necessary. And that quotation marks highlight it as some new or unfamiliar usage of the word which, for our community, it isn't.

If there's no ambiguity of what the word could mean, there's no reason for the quotes. If it can be misconstrued, then quotes a probably called for. For instance, "He headed out." Are you talking about the door or the closet? HOwever, "He is out and proud," probably doesn't need any quotation marks. You might take a look at AP style; it's usually a good source for grammer and punctuation.

I think the context of each sentence should make a clear distinction between out (gay) and out (outside). So, I think quotation marks would not be necessary. Furthemore, I think the quotes would only be a distraction.

I don't have an AP Styleguide on me but I believe out should have single quotes around it. Then again a thesis/dissertation may not require such punctuation.

i'd suggest that out is still a tad colloquial and, therefore, the first time you use it in your thesis you define exactly what you mean by out -- out to family, out to a friend, out at work -- to make clear what you are saying when you use the word out. it is absolutely essential in an academic paper to eliminate ambiguity. this also gives you a standard to measure against when you use the word and introduces an inherent level of consistency required at the thesis-level of writing. and if "outness" is in any way at all a research variable, i.e. philanthropic activity among out people vs. philanthropic activity among non-out people, then it must be very precisely defined and all research subjects must be carefully screened for inclusion into the out group of test subjects. all that said, after defining the word at its first usage, quotes would no longer be necessary.

[ April 07, 2005, 05:39 AM: Message edited by: thersis ]