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Association
Depending on whether you are a pure linguist or firstly an entrepreneur at heart, you will associate a quote or a quotation differently. The linguist will definitely think about the use of quotes, "referral to an expression of someone else which you should not change." The business person will think about a price indication for the services or goods they are buying.
Quotes in language
The word quote is a word already used in the 14th century in middle English and is derived from the Latin word 'quotare', which means to mark pages in a book. Over the centuries the meaning of the word expanded to copy and paste information from the pages of the book and hence we land at our quotations. Copy and pasting text from others which you are not allowed to change, but still use whilst you are writing. Use of quotations is definitely useful in research where you may challenge a quote, in other occasion writers don't appreciate using quotes as it means you need others to make your text interesting. A way around is to paraphrase, meaning instead of saying. H G Wells said, "The nobler method of quotation is not to quote at all", you can write, it was said by H G Wells that the nobler method of quotation is not to quote at all.
Quotes in business
The use of quotes or stock quotes is initially appearing in the early 17th century with the emerging of the first stock markets. How the word developed from a linguistic quotation to a price indication is not widely known. Nowadays quotes are part of our day-to-day life. Both in business and at home we ask for quotes regularly. The difference asking for an estimate or for a quote depends. A quote is more binding than an estimate. As a provider of services or goods if you have variables such as time, potential extra scope it is better to give an estimate. Quotes can be given if the price is fixed and there is no discussion about variable prices. If the customer insists on a quote there are methods to build in maximum ceiling or milestones to be achieved to avoid liabilities and discussions.
Where do business and language meet?
In business, we use quotations all the time. We are using language to express ourselves, to motivate, to clarify behaviour, in workshops and in course material.
The future is yours as per the image.
So let me leave you with one more quote from Steve Jobs who said, "If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time." This applies to both business success and speaking a second language. Let it not hold you back!
Marleen @www.englishafirenze.com #TEFL #TESOL #TBE #Englishonline #Englishforbusiness #Englishteacher