Why use quotes on the word "Dad" when talking to someone? [closed]
Closed by System on Dec 21, 2016 at 14:47
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If a step-father is texting his step daughter and he writes:
Maybe your "dad" can step up and take the dog
What's meant by putting quotation marks around the word "dad"?
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1 answer
Any word with quotation marks around it which is not a direction quotation implies the word is false or the statement is not wholly true.
If it's freezing outside and I go out, I might say that I'm entering the "freezer." I'm not saying I'm literally entering a freezer, but that the outdoors is similar to a freezer in terms of the temperature.
Similarly, if a step-father says to his step-daughter that her "dad" could take care of the dog, he's subtly showing his opinion that her "dad" isn't acting like one. Or, while being her biological father, no longer fills that role for her. Depending on the context, there are several meanings which could be implied, but they all have the same general flavor.
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