Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson for September 26, 2013

Marigold jealous because she can’t do finger quotes with hooves.

‘The Gesture of Double Bunny-Ear Superiority’

Aren’t they called “air quotes”?

Marigold looks so relaxed and indolent sprawled atop that wall. I have to admit, that’s a pose I would have never imagined for a unicorn!

I understand why Little Miss No-Fingers doesn’t like it, but why do “finger quotes” (or “air quotes”) enrage so many humans? It’s a gesture expressing legitimate meaning—not unlike Marigold’s swishy tail in those last two panels. Between the tail and the wall-lounging she’s totally being a cat in today’s strip.

Oh Marigold, you and your finger envy. Air quotes is an essential form of communication. Let her do it. Also I love that image of a unicorn on a wall chillin. also I wounder how Marigold feels about American Sign Language and other gestures?

Maybe Marigold is jealous because she can do “air quotes,” but only in an imperative way (by rearing, so that she’ll have “both forehooves free” for gesturing with them). Being creatures who prefer subtlety, unicorns wouldn’t be able—without working some major levitation magic, which by definition wouldn’t be subtle—to do “air quotes” with their hooves in any way other than the gestural equivalent of shouting.

George Carlin had something interesting to say about finger quotes.

My horse has finger envy too! “Scratch my ears! Scratch my butt!!, A little lower and to the right, Please!!”

I agree with the horn horse. Everybody, never do that again.

“Air quotes” are annoying when people don’t use them correctly.

I like Marigold perched on the wall.I suspect she would do sparkle quotes instead of hoof quotes.

@ Weapon Brown: George Carlin had something interesting to say about pretty much everything. Too bad we didn’t always listen…

I said it before, and I’ll say it again I want a unicorn friend

Listen to the unicorn, Phoebe.

Let’s report this to the principal about that girl. What Night-Gaunt said yesterday.

I agree people no longer think about the purpose for air quotes and therefore use them incorrectly (as I believe Phoebe did here, as the little girl evidently accused Phoebe of actually stealing the ball from her; sorry, Dana) but I don’t get the extreme irritation or even anger over it. Am I missing something?

Hey, I once brought down a firestorm on myself by using /written/ quotes. Seems some people are convinced the purpose of quotation marks is, like /italics/ or ALL CAPS, to indicate emphasis, and they will not be told otherwise.

I wonder if she can climb a tree.I wonder if she would need the fire department to get back down.

I probably couldn’t talk if my hands were tied, but I still can’t stand the air quotes! Why? I don’t know. I guess they seem pretentious to me in some way. I attended a required for work inservice once, the speaker punctuated every sentence with an air quote. We all nearly went mad!

Oh, no. You don’t want a unicorn fried. Too greasy. Baked unicorn is much better. The healthiest recipe is air-popped unicorn, though.