# Using periods for emphasis

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-periods-for-emphasis/1011620>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 13, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-periods-for-emphasis/1011620 "2024-12-13T22:00:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-periods-for-emphasis/1011620/21 "2024-12-14T15:30:27Z")

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The “Real Life” section has a link to this WWI photo from 1917:

[![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/12inchMkIXRailwayGunVickersMountingWoestenAugust231917.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/12inchMkIXRailwayGunVickersMountingWoestenAugust231917.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-periods-for-emphasis/1011620/22 "2024-12-14T22:01:52Z")

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I feel like Gilbert & Sullivan might have used something that at least _sounds like_ this form of emphasis, but I can’t find an example of it.

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**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-periods-for-emphasis/1011620/23 "2024-12-15T00:44:21Z")

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Do you know what it means to “clap back”?

Be. Cause. I. Do.

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-periods-for-emphasis/1011620/24 "2024-12-15T05:00:05Z")

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[!!!The!!Teddy!Crazy!!Show!!!](https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?64705)

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**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-periods-for-emphasis/1011620/25 "2024-12-15T08:08:09Z")

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He also used it at the beginning and ending of “Knox.”

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