Air quotes
Air quotes, also called finger quotes or Ersatz quotes (
/ɛərˈzɑːts/; German for replacement) are virtual quotation marks formed in the air with one's fingers when speaking. This is typically done with hands held shoulder-width apart and at the eye level of the speaker, with the index and middle fingers on each hand flexing at the beginning and end of the phrase being quoted.[1] The air-quoted phrase is generally very short—a few words at most—in common usage, though sometimes much longer phrases may be used for comedic effect.[citation needed]
While the term "air quotes" did not appear until 1989, use of similar gestures has been recorded as early as 1927.[1] A single handed quote is an equivalent, though less dramatic variation.
The gesture was used routinely in the TV show Celebrity Charades (1979) as the standard signal for a quote or phrase.
The trend became very popular in the 1990s, attributed by many to comedian Steve Martin, who often used them with exaggerated emphasis in his stand-up shows.[2]
Air quotes are often used to express satire, sarcasm, irony or euphemism, and are analogous to scare quotes in print.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Martin, Gary. "Air quotes". The Phrase Finder. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/air-quotes.html. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
- ^ Frum, David (2000). How We Got Here: The '70s, the decade that brought you modern life, for better or worse. New York: BasicBooks. pp. 421. ISBN 0-465-04196-5. OCLC 45706071.
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