inverted commas

[shaukat mahmood]

Please explain, what do inverted commas mean in a text other than quotation marks?for example,
Kelly, the Women's Minister and Communities Secretary, also warned that more serious threats to female freedom must not be 'swept under the carpet', citing the refusal of some Muslim families to let their daughters go to university for fear of exposure to undesirable

Please explain 'swept under the carpet' with reference to the use of inverted commas.

Thanks.

Shaukat.

[rewboss]

It means that the words "swept under the carpet" were used by Kelly herself -- the news source is quoting her directly.

In journalism, they are sometimes called "scare quotes". The news source, which has to remain impartial, is distancing itself from the remarks. "Don't blame us," they say; "this is what the woman herself said, and we're just reporting what she said -- these are not necessarily our own views."

There is another, similar, use for quotation marks, and that is when you wish to convey the idea that the word you are using is actually inaccurate and should not be taken at face value -- the word is not meant in the conventional sense. For example:

Gilbert is a unique "actor".

The quotation marks mean that the author does not consider Gilbert to be a proper actor at all -- at best, he is a very poor actor. The description "actor", although probably used by Gilbert to describe himself, is inaccurate.