Viittausmerkinnät

Viittausmerkinnät, known in English as citation marks or quotation marks, are punctuation marks used to indicate direct quotations, titles of works, or to signal that a word or phrase is being used in a special, non-literal, or ironic sense. In Finnish, they are typically represented by the guillemet symbols « » or by double quotation marks " ".

The primary function of viittausmerkinnät is to enclose the exact words spoken or written by another person or source. This ensures that the reader can distinguish between the author's own words and those taken from elsewhere. When used for titles of shorter works, such as articles, poems, or chapters, viittausmerkinnät help to clearly identify these specific components within a larger publication.

Furthermore, viittausmerkinnät can be employed to highlight words or phrases that are being used with a specific nuance, such as sarcasm, humor, or a deliberate deviation from their standard meaning. This usage signals to the reader that the word is not to be interpreted literally. The choice between guillemets and double quotation marks can sometimes depend on stylistic conventions or the specific publication's guidelines, though guillemets are often preferred in formal Finnish writing for direct quotations. Understanding and correctly applying viittausmerkinnät is crucial for academic integrity and clear communication.