I’ve noticed an increase in people asking stuff without question marks. I’m assuming (probably incorrectly, which is why I’m taking this informal poll) it’s a byproduct of texting, where most users are in a hurry and anything beyond the basic alphabet is more difficult to access. So, if you will, please help fight my ignorance on its causes and results.
[ul]
[li]Do you use question marks in all situations?[/li][li]If you sometimes do not, what exceptions are there?[/li][li]For those who always use them, do you notice when others do not?[/li][li]Does lack of usage bother you?[/li][li]Finally, if you never use them, why not and where did your habit originate?[/li][/ul]
[ul]
[li]Do you use question marks in all situations? – As far as I know, yes.[/li][li]If you sometimes do not, what exceptions are there? – N/A[/li][li]For those who always use them, do you notice when others do not? – Sadly yes. I’d rather it just never register that one should be there and instead the intent meant just skip straight ahead on to my brain. [/li][li]Does lack of usage bother you? – Yes, because then I have to wonder if they were truly asking a question. And if it’s someone I know never uses them, then I take that a step further and wonder WHY they don’t. Do they have some sort of problem involved? Do they just not care how their writing and personality comes across? From there, the cycle just keeps going around until I can make myself focus on something else. [/li][li]Finally, if you never use them, why not and where did your habit originate? --Like I said, I don’t think I ever skip using them. However, if I have, it’s only been due to a screw up on my part. Never intentional to go without one. [/li][/ul]
Also, I’d really prefer to no longer have this even remotely bother me. I’ve gotten over other general punctuation issues, I’d like this to follow, mainly because it’s becoming more common place and I don’t want to be uptight about something that 1) I can’t change or 2) is really inconsequential in the great scheme of things. But still! Argh!!
Do you use question marks in all situations?
Every situation that calls for one, sure. Unless I make a typo.
If you sometimes do not, what exceptions are there?
Just typos, as I mentioned.
For those who always use them, do you notice when others do not?
Absolutely! When I read, I hear the words in my head as if they’re being spoken, so it is quite jarring to get to the end of a sentence that should have the inflection of a question when there’s no question mark there. Very irritating.
Does lack of usage bother you?
Yes, as explained previously.
Finally, if you never use them, why not and where did your habit originate?
I obviously don’t fall into this category, and I can’t imagine who would.
I use them in formal writing, and sporadically everywhere else.
Texting in particular sees few question marks, instant messaging conversations sometimes lack punctuation in general.
Very rarely do I not know when somebody is asking a question, but, yes, I notice.
It bothers me a lot less than “u” “r” and “y” which are fucking LETTERS and not words. Generally, though, I don’t care. If you know they’re asking a question, why does it matter
Once I started texting with enthusiasm, my literary skills in general have diminished. I wouldn’t capitalize my texts, either, except my phone does it for me. Those with QWERTY phones have no excuse though.
[Bolding mine.] Thanks for your answers. To reply to your question above (heh), the reason it bothers me (if you want to call it that) is because I don’t know that it is indeed a question until I’ve already reached the end. Then I have to mull back over it in ‘asking’ mode rather than as a statement. Now I’m sure this probably doesn’t take me longer than a couple of fractions of a second, but as Asimovian points out, it’s jarring none the less. And do that over an entire paragraph or more, it’s quite stiltifying.
As to text (or leet) speak where one sees U for you, etc., that doesn’t faze me at all. It’s usually consistent enough to afford me the opportunity to skip the entire thing if I wish or if not, to know what I’m getting into in advance. Also, U still reads like you anyway, so the substituting isn’t a question of wondering about intent. At least to me anyway.
I think the habbit of not using question marks just comes from people being lazy. With such things as instant messaging and facebook people are becoming a lot more informal with the way they choose to write. It doesnt bother people though, because most people who are fimiliar with IM and Texting do so because it should be obvious when they state something that they are asking a question. For example, if i were to ask how the weather was? and not include the question mark you will still know its a question. Also it feels more causual when you don’t use proper grammar when you are talking online. This is all just my opinion.
I agree on just about all counts, faithfool. I tend to read sentences at a time rather than individual words, so it’s possible that it bothers me less - although I agree, minor annoyances in volume can be agonizing. A good fraction of my text communication, though, tends to be either through my phone, in online games (when I’m not using a headset), or during instant messaging. Typically you don’t type more than a sentence or two at a time to each other when communicating in this fashion.
So I suppose it’s that I feel when you’re writing, you should always make a decent attempt, but that many circumstances punctuation isn’t necessary at all.
