Double Angle Brackets in Results and Scripts

When you type English language script statements in a Script Editor script window, AppleScript is able to compile the script because the English terms are described either in the terminology built into the AppleScript language or in the dictionary of an available scriptable application or scripting addition. When AppleScript compiles your script, it converts it into an internal executable format, then reformats the text as described in Compiling Scripts With the Script Editor.

When you open, compile, edit, or run scripts with the Script Editor, you may occasionally see terms enclosed in double angle brackets, or chevrons («»), in a script window or in the result window. For example, you might see the term «event sysodlog» as part of a script. You will typically see text enclosed in chevrons for one of three reasons:

AppleScript can't reformat a term in English in a script window because the term is not part of the AppleScript language and no dictionary that defines the term is available. This situation is described in When a Dictionary Is Not Available.
AppleScript can't display data in the data's native format in the result window. This situation is described in When AppleScript Displays Data in Raw Format.
You intentionally entered the chevrons (by typing Option-Backslash and Shift-Option-Backslash). This situation is described in Entering Script Information in Raw Format.