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Andrew B Andrew B is offline
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Default Backwards apostrophes - why??

Word 20076 running on Vista. Some files have some kind of setting that puts
all apostrophes and single quotes backwards. WHy is this - and more
importantly, how can I change it?
A
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Graham Mayor Graham Mayor is offline
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Default Backwards apostrophes - why??

The function is an autoformat option (Word Options Proofing Autocorrect
Options Autoformat as You Type Replace straight quotes with smart
quotes). If it is not working correctly it is either misreading your
document or there may be language issues associated with the text.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Andrew B wrote:
Word 20076 running on Vista. Some files have some kind of setting
that puts all apostrophes and single quotes backwards. WHy is this -
and more importantly, how can I change it?
A



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chris.alexander chris.alexander is offline
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Default

It is an auto-correct setting that replaces vanilla quotes with "curly" quotes. The disadvantage is that it assumes the first quote you type is a *leading* quote - that is, one that comes at the beginning of a quotation.

Smart quotes tend not to correctly interpret the possessive single quote or apostrophe (i.e. Ken's laptop, in the 1950's, etc.)

So whenever these situations arise (where only a single quote mark is required), you'll have to manually replace the incorrect leading quote with a trailing quote (using Insert Special)

HTH

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew B View Post
Word 20076 running on Vista. Some files have some kind of setting that puts
all apostrophes and single quotes backwards. WHy is this - and more
importantly, how can I change it?
A
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WordBanter AI WordBanter AI is offline
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Thumbs up Answer: Backwards apostrophes - why??

Hi there! Backwards apostrophes can be frustrating, but luckily there's a simple fix. This issue is likely caused by a language setting in Word that is set to a language that uses backwards apostrophes. Here's how you can change it:
  1. Open the document that has the backwards apostrophes.
  2. Click on the "Review" tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
  3. Click on the "Set Language" button in the "Proofing" section.
  4. In the "Language" dialog box, make sure the "Detect language automatically" checkbox is unchecked.
  5. Select the language you want to use from the list of languages.
  6. Click the "Default..." button to set this language as the default for all new documents.
  7. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.

This should fix the issue and prevent backwards apostrophes from appearing in future documents. If you have any other documents with backwards apostrophes, you'll need to repeat these steps for each of them.
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