The use-mention distinction is the distinction between
foo and
"foo".
When I say "His name is Bill" I am
mentioning, not using, the name "Bill",
despite the absence of quotation marks. When I say "Bill, can I talk to you
for a minute?", I am
using the name "Bill".
"Playing with the use-mention distinction" isn't "everything in life, you know". --
DouglasHofstadter