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Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?

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mommy_dearest
05/03/09

In reply to Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?
Has there been any in-depth wikipedia research into the use of the exclamation point and the question mark together?!?!

This is the issue that is plaguing suburban America, as self-important PTA moms have adopted this puncuation to end every question and it is driving me crazy. Yes, I heard it was a question with the first question mark. When you add those exclamation points, it turns "Did you remember the cupcakes?" into "WTF is wrong with you? Did you remember the f-ing cupcakes?"

I'm not sure if I hate the ?! combo or the self-important PTA moms more.
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T.A.N.
05/03/09

@mommy_dearest: yes, the most perfectly named piece of punctuation : the interrobang!!??!

[en.wikipedia.org]
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mommy_dearest
05/03/09

@T.A.N.: The depth of your knowledge is amazing. I will always be loyal to you.
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bayktdin
05/02/09

In reply to Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?
It's easy to show feelings in person, on a video or audio clip and set proper mood. In text it's very difficult to not seem overly harsh without shaking up the rules of writing well.

I think there is one hip hop blog that uses CAPILIZATIION instead of exclamation marks.

But how do the uptight William-Strunk-Elements-of-Style types set the proper mood without bad grammar, wrongful punctuation and phonetically spelled dialogue?

Guilt as charged Mr. Strunk... guilty as charged.
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krismry
05/02/09

@bayktdin: Don't even worry, Strunk and White are totally dead, along with apostrophes, semicolons, colons, quote marks, and all the rest of those archaisms and old relics. The only thing left is exclamation!!!!1!!!!!
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VoxPopuli
05/02/09

In reply to Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?
But can we agree never to use the word "bledia" again? I love ya T.A.N., but no. No!!!!
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Hamilton Nolan
05/02/09

In reply to Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?
MCs act like they don't know!
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TedSez
05/02/09

In reply to Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?
By the year 2050, how you feel about something you write won't be expressed by punctuation at all, but by a form of electronic telepathy known as emoticonditioning. It was created by Bill Gates as part of a plan for world domination he came up with after watching an episode of "Dollhouse," but that he couldn't get to work because the software wasn't supported by Windows.

When someone reads what you write, all the nuances (excitement, sarcasm, irony, what-have-you) will be projected directly into the reader's brain. As a result, everyone will finally get your jokes, but it will turn out that they actually aren't as funny as you think they are.

The young folks, of course, will be much more facile with this technology than the rest of us, and will spend hours a day trying to force each other to think of the word "interrobang."
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Oy Veh (Informality Reigns)
05/02/09

In reply to Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?
I blame OK! magazine for this.
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souldecirce
05/02/09

In reply to Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?
Dividing exclamation point usage along racial lines might have worked a dozen or so years ago, but now it's usage is pretty even. I guess we're not including Kanye West in hip-hop, 'cause he's surely been guilty.

Multiple exclamation points, or questions marks, to end a declaration or a question are far and away the most reliable indicators of serial killers and militia members.

So, sssh. Let's not let them know we're on to them.
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Oy Veh (Informality Reigns)
05/02/09

@souldecirce: What???? I've never hurt a corn flake or a fruit loop in my life!!!!! Don't call ME a cereal killer!!
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mmstk101
05/02/09

In reply to Deep Thoughts: In the Year 2050 Will the Internet Still Be Using Exclamation Marks So Much?
I'm a big fan of exclamation marks.

Emoticons, though . . . I happened to use one in an e-mail last week, and felt really, really dirty.
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T.A.N.
05/02/09

@mmstk101: did you use one of the ones where you stick your tongue out, or wink? *shudder*
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mmstk101
05/02/09

@T.A.N.: Haha. No, those are the worst! This was just a generic happy face.
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