When did quotation marks first appear in books?
Modern double quotation marks, vital for clear dialogue, first appeared in 18th-century English books, transforming readability and influencing the rise of modern novels.
The familiar double quotation marks we use today to show direct speech only became standard in printed English books during the 18th century. Before this, printers used various methods like italics or dashes, which often confused readers and made texts harder to follow.
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