Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/21

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Off-List
From: Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 22:05:40 +0100

Marc,

It was used extensively in telex exchanges when I was using telex, and
that was in the mid-Eighties. I, of course, do not have any telex
archives and so cannot prove this point. This was not the '30s. And it
was not the USA. It was neither government nor military communications.
Those telexes involved companies in the following countries: Belgium,
the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Hong-Kong, Japan, the Soviet Union,
Hungary, to name those that come back to mind right now. I do not
remember if less words meant a discount or not, and do not know if that
was the reason that word was used instead of the 2 words 'end quote'. I
know this usage was never discussed by anyone, colleagues, suppliers or
customers. I do not remember ever seeing a telex with the words 'end
quote' but maybe have without taking notice. 

But I am 200 pct certain that up to this very day on the LUG list I was
NEVER confronted to a single remark on the usage of the word "unquote"
in any context whatsoever.

Alan

Marc James Small wrote:
> 
> "Unquote" is absurd in American English and is never seen.  It is assuredly
> not used in Telex communications.  "End Quote" is normal.  I review a
> number of business Telex's in the course of my law practice, and have never
> seen "unquote" used in the way you suggest, though it might have been so
> used, back in the '30's, when you could have gotten a discount for the use
> of one word (UNQUOTE) in place of two (END QUOTE).  Certainly, all
> government and military communications have always used END QUOTE.
> 
> Sorry, but you're wrong, at least for present usage.
> 
> Marc
> 
> msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
> Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!