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I'm using the \enquote command from the csquotes package for setting quotes.

When I invoke quotations inside math mode,
either by hand

``<some math>''

or by enquote

\enquote{<some math>}

it renders differently than in text mode.

Here's an example:

Quotes Math Mode

Can someone explain why this behavior occurs?

For adjusting the quotation marks by hand, I found this workaround by egreg.

How can I adjust the quotation marks invoked by enquote in math mode?

Here's a MWE, the one from above:

\documentclass[preview]{standalone}
\usepackage{csquotes}
\begin{document}
In text mode:\\
Quote by hand: ``Blub''\\
Quote by enquote: \enquote{Blub}

In math mode:\\
Quote by hand: $``a^2+b^2=c^2''$\\
Quote by enquote: $\enquote{a^2+b^2=c^2}$
\end{document}
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2
  • \enquote{$formula$} rather than $\enquote{formula}$, unless your quotes are part of the math. Are they?
    – egreg
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:29
  • Problem is I have it as something like $\ldots \enquote{\ldots} \ldots$. Do you have an idea what to do?
    – C-star-W-star
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:30

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
8

LaTeX issues one error and two warnings:

! Double superscript.
<recently read> ^

l.13 Quote by hand: $``a^2+b^2=c^2'
                                   '$
? 

LaTeX Warning: Command \textquotedblleft invalid in math mode on input line 15.

LaTeX Warning: Command \textquotedblright invalid in math mode on input line 15

Such errors and warnings should not be disregarded; it's a perhaps sad truth that \textquotedblleft in math mode produces a backslash, whereas \textquotedblright actually produces a closing double quote.

The error is because ' in math mode is interpreted as ^{\prime}, so c^2' indeed has a double superscript (the converse c'^2 is instead legal, as is c''^2).

If you want to quote something in math mode, you should use math symbols.

\documentclass{article}

\DeclareMathSymbol{\mlq}{\mathord}{operators}{'134}
\DeclareMathSymbol{\mrq}{\mathord}{operators}{'42}

\begin{document}

$\dots\mlq\dots\mrq\dots$

\end{document}

enter image description here

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2
  • Wow, true that, it issues those warnings, completely didn't notice them, thanks! (Have it running in command prompt as -interaction=batchmode with -file-line-error only and checking for warnings only on an ad-hoc basis.)
    – C-star-W-star
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:48
  • Thanks, the integration worked perfectly with your solution and defining \newcommand{\mathenquote}[1]{\mlq #1\mrq}. Thanks a lot!!
    – C-star-W-star
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:57
1

You have answered yourself: the quotes should be in the text mode:

\documentclass[preview]{standalone}
\usepackage{csquotes}
\begin{document}
In text mode:\\
Quote by hand: ``Blub''\\
Quote by enquote: \enquote{Blub}

In math mode:\\
%Quote by hand: $``a^2+b^2=c^2''$\\
Quote by hand: ``$a^2+b^2=c^2$''\\

%Quote by enquote: $\enquote{a^2+b^2=c^2}$
Quote by enquote: \enquote{$a^2+b^2=c^2$}
\end{document}

enter image description here

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5
  • Problem is that I need it as something like $\ldots \enquote{\ldots} \ldots$. Do you have an idea what to do?
    – C-star-W-star
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:33
  • \ldots work(s) also in the text mode. So \ldots \enquote{\ldots} \ldots will work.
    – Przemysław Scherwentke
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:34
  • Sorry, should have written $<some formulas> \enquote{<formula>} <more formulas>$ and under different circumstances like labels in tikzcd and other situations.
    – C-star-W-star
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:37
  • If you use amsmath, you have a simple construction \text\enquote{$...$}}.
    – Przemysław Scherwentke
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:40
  • Do you think i can/is it good idea for me to redefine simply then \enquote as something like \ensuretextmode\enquote?
    – C-star-W-star
    Dec 12, 2018 at 17:41

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