Template:' "

From Gerald R. Lucas

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Template:COinS safe

Usage

The {{' "}} or {{Single+double}} template is to be used whenever a single-quotation mark (') would be followed by a double-quotation mark ("), most commonly found in nested quotations (e.g., Template:Tq), or when a double-quoted passage terminates with an apostrophe (e.g., Template:Tq) Its purpose is to place a slight space in-between the single and double quotation marks for legibility, without actually inserting a space character. It does this with CSS, and does so because the insertion of an extraneous space character of any kind (e.g.,   or  ) would violate the semantic integrity of web content in an article or another page in which it appears.

Example (with highlighting added for clarity)
  • Using this template:
Smith was reported to have said, "I think the public will not agree with your 'innovative solution{{' "}}, in the March 3 debate.
Smith was reported to have said, "I think the public will not agree with your 'innovative solution”, in the March 3 debate.
  • For comparison, here is the less desirable, completely unspaced version:
Smith was reported to have said, "I think the public will not agree with your 'innovative solution'", in the March 3 debate.
Smith was reported to have said, "I think the public will not agree with your 'innovative solution'", in the March 3 debate.
  • Compare also the version with a semantically-incorrect non-breaking space character:
Smith was reported to have said, "I think the public will not agree with your 'innovative solution' ", in the March 3 debate.
Smith was reported to have said, "I think the public will not agree with your 'innovative solution' ", in the March 3 debate.
  • And finally, compare this visually appealing but also semantically-incorrect version, using a "thin space" character:
Smith was reported to have said, "I think the public will not agree with your 'innovative solution' ", in the March 3 debate.
Smith was reported to have said, "I think the public will not agree with your 'innovative solution' ", in the March 3 debate.

As rendered, the non-breaking-spaced and thin-spaced versions may look similar or the same as the templated version, but they improperly mix content and presentation.

To properly achieve similar results within parameters of a template that automatically wraps the value in double-quotes (e.g. |title= in {{cite web}}), use the Template:Tn or {{Single+space}} template. See also the related templates, Template:Tn and Template:Tn for the left-hand side versions (manual and parameter, respectively).

See also