# "Smart quotes" in Microsoft Word

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-quotes-in-microsoft-word/88605>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 20, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-quotes-in-microsoft-word/88605 "2001-10-20T18:19:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-quotes-in-microsoft-word/88605/1 "2001-10-20T18:19:40Z")

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Has anyone else noticed this? Lately, when I set a computer for Auto Correct in MS Word, I check “smart quotes,” which I prefer to the ["] that the old-fashioned manual typewriters had.  
Lately, however, instead of the customary “smart” quotes, I get the European-style quotation marks which look like \<\< and \>\>.  
What’s the deal? Weren’t the regular “smart quotes” good enough? 😕

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**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-quotes-in-microsoft-word/88605/2 "2001-10-20T19:26:05Z")

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It’s kinda obvious, IT’S MS WORD!!  
To fix this problem, go buy another word proscessing program.

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-quotes-in-microsoft-word/88605/3 "2001-10-20T19:31:34Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> To fix this problem, go buy another word processing program.

If only I could; I don’t own a computer and am keying this in now at the library at El Camino College. Thanks just the same…

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**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-quotes-in-microsoft-word/88605/4 "2001-10-20T20:09:05Z")

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Did you set it for another language/nationality? Also, check your auto-correct settings.

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**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-quotes-in-microsoft-word/88605/5 "2001-10-20T20:13:50Z")

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Yeah, just fired up Word, and it does that if you have it set to French. The Set Language option is under Tools.

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-quotes-in-microsoft-word/88605/6 "2001-10-20T20:18:43Z")

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Thanks, Waterj. I’ll try that. 🙂