Q as in Quotation

The essay "Q as in Quotation" presented a negative and a positive side of using quotations in writing and, frankly, was rather confusing. The author used lots of big words that I didn't know so I looked them up at Dictionary.com in the hopes that everything would make sense afterwards.

Semantic: Different meanings of words or other symbols of language; from Semantics: the study of meaning or linguistic development
Capitulation: Surrender
Riven: Distressed
Caesura: A break in a metered verse
Tacit: Implied or understood without being stated
Presupposition: Something assumed beforehand, taken for granted in advance
Expressivity: The quality or state of being expressive
Kowtow: Act of obedient or compliance
Jurisprudence: The science or philosophy of law
Sublime: Elevated or lofty
Coercion: Using force or intimidation to obtain compliance
Undialectical: from Dialect: the practice of logical discussion to investigate the truth of a theory or opinion
Filiation: Decent from a parent, the relationship of one thing to the thing that it came from
Sovereign: Supreme rank, power, or authority
Stenographer: A person who specializes in taking dictations
Impoverish: To reduce something in quality, to exhaust the strength
Credo: A formula of belief
Barter: A trade by exchange of commodities
Rapprochement: Establishment of harmonious relations
Erudition: Knowledge acquired by study or research

After that was done the text was still complex, but at least I knew what the author was saying. He or she begins the essay claiming that the use of quotations is a bad thing, comparing it to "cutting one's own flesh" and complete submission. The author states that if you use quotations, "the reader will see you only as surrounded by alien prompters" and that "he who quotes capitulates." These are all very negative images and claims, yet in the second half of the essay he or she changes their stance. At the end of the essay, the author states that "quotation opens up an in-between space for encounters" and is necessary for the exchange of thoughts. The author then praises quotation for being the clear "in-between space that allows identities to circulate in dialogue." This essay shows two sides of using quotation in writing and how it can be positive as well as negative.

This is related to what we've been talking about in class as far as embedding quotations and using them properly. It shows how quotations can be good for your writing as well as bad and that writers should be aware of this fact whenever quoting a source.