Usage of air quotes

[sky3120]

They said, "It is wrong".

Can I also use air quotes for this sentence, especially "It is wrong"? Or air quotes are used only for sarcasm? Thank you so much as usual and have a good and safe day.

[JMurray]

The normal way of showing that you are repeating exactly what they said, is to say "quote-unquote" before or after.
"When I asked them for an opinion they said, quote-unquote, 'It is wrong'", or "…they said, 'It is wrong', quote-unquote".
If you made air quotes instead, I would be a little unsure what your attitude was, to the quoted phrase. I might assume that either you or they were saying "wrong" with a skeptical tone.

not a teacher

[probus]

In my experience air quotes are used only to convey irony, sarcasm or derision.

[Rover_KE]

The normal way of showing that you are repeating exactly what they said, is to say "quote-unquote" before or after.

It's more usual to say 'quote' before and 'unquote' after.

'He's so rude—he told me to [slight pause] quote "Bugger off" unquote.'

Rover

[JMurray]

It's more usual to say 'quote' before and 'unquote' after.

I most often hear it the way I've described it. Perhaps it's a regional thing, although COCA has 60 examples of the two words grouped together, mostly before the phrase in question, although nobody seems to bother with a hyphen.

not a teacher

[5jj]

I most often hear it the way I've described it.

So do I.

[emsr2d2]

I've never heard/used "quote" before the words and then "unquote" after them. I would normally say "quote unquote" before the quoted phrase, but occasionally after the phrase.

[Tdol]

Or They said, and I quote,....