# What's the deal with exclamation marks!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 17, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547 "2003-06-17T21:19:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/21 "2003-06-18T01:21:59Z")
!?! should be banned. It’s horrible. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/22 "2003-06-18T02:58:18Z")
We have a buyer in my department who does the exclamation point thing. At first I thought he was being an ass, and got angry that he would be addressing me as if shouting. But then I realized he was only an idiot. We have a supply nurse who thinks that all CAPS means important. I run her e-mails through MS Word’s Capitalization filter to render her e-mails readable. My headaches have decreased as a result. ---
**Author:** ![Mariemarie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Mariemarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mariemarie)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/23 "2003-06-18T03:00:24Z")
I’m one who uses too many quotation marks. Sorry. I’ll try to cut down on that. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/24 "2003-06-18T03:02:05Z")
there are also people who do not capitalize. i cannot understand how someone wrote their resume and got hired without knowing how to use the shift key. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/25 "2003-06-18T03:32:43Z")
You are neglecting people who send **work** emails in colored, frivolous, oversize fonts with animated icons or embedded pictures that are HUGE. Particularly those who switch colors for various words. Now that doesn’t make me treat your words more seriously; that makes me think you have far far too much time on your hands. Not to mention that you have no respect for the workers who are checking email from home on dial-up. Ooooo today’s treat is red bold italics in Andy, size 28! ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/26 "2003-06-18T10:44:49Z")
Perhaps a rule of thumb would be to you punctuation to represent the way you would say it. . = Say in normal voice. ? = Say with slight lift on last word, ie. questioning. ! = Shouted, or rising inflection. !? or ?! = Shouted question. ?? = Incredulity. !?? = Pretty meaningless, incredulity is already emphatic. !!? = Technically questioning, but not incredulous, but emphatic. Obviously only the first three should be used in formal writing. In informal writing, it does make sense to italicize or bold a word needed to be emphasised. But, for the love of God, is _anything_ amazing enough to need **5**'!'s?! ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/27 "2003-06-18T12:03:34Z")
One per page. Use it well. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/28 "2003-06-18T12:35:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Orbifold \* > **More than three is definitely excessive.** THREE? More than _one_ is excessive, and you should pause and think before typing even one. ---
**Author:** ![Thunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a8b319/32.png) [@Thunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thunder)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/29 "2003-06-18T13:15:24Z")
Why hasn’t **Interrobang?!** commented here yet? ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/30 "2003-06-18T14:00:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Particlewill \* > \*\*We have a buyer in my department who does the exclamation point thing. At first I thought he was being an ass, and got angry that he would be addressing me as if shouting. But then I realized he was only an idiot. > > We have a supply nurse who thinks that all CAPS means important. I run her e-mails through MS Word’s Capitalization filter to render her e-mails readable. > > My headaches have decreased as a result. \*\* There’s a capitalization filter? Oh, please direct me to it. I need it for my beloved cousin’s emails. She’s sent me emails for about five years now and _still_ uses all caps. Ava ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/31 "2003-06-18T14:29:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zette \* > \*\*Exclamation points in a business e-mail? > > YIKES!!! > > My favorite is the … people. > > I wanted…to show…Mary how …to do…the backup…but… > she was busy… \*\* There are two people here at the office (one is a directory) who do that. It makes me nuts. I’m not sure which one makes me more crazy, the over use of the elipses, or the act of putting too many elipses in. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/32 "2003-06-18T14:42:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minor7flat5 \* > \*\*One per page. > > Use it well. \*\* Heh. This reminds me of my high school English teacher. He said that we all get three exclamation points to use. Ever. And he suggested we wait until we were out of college before we use the first one. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/33 "2003-06-18T14:48:09Z")
avabeth, it’s Format, Change Case. As for everything else complained about in this thread, I am guilty as charged, except I only them when corresponding with whom I alread have a friendly and familiar relationship. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/34 "2003-06-18T14:56:56Z")
Looks like I either need a new keyboard or new fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/35 "2003-06-18T15:08:14Z")
It’s a pet peeve of mine as well, but I’ve found that the occasional exclamation point in an email (even in business) can convey friendly informality (in addition to it’s intended punctuation) that is usually well received. Smilies are an absolute no-no, as are multiple exclamation points, but I’ve been trying to get used to the occasional ‘!’ ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/36 "2003-06-18T15:12:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dropzone \* > \*\*avabeth, it’s Format, Change Case. > > As for everything else complained about in this thread, I am guilty as charged, except I only them when corresponding with whom I alread have a friendly and familiar relationship. \*\* Gracias - that will come in handy. I’m guilty of the … sometimes. I’ve gotten better, but when I first began posting on Usenet, I used them a lot. Never in professional letters or emails, though. And I have been guilty of using a pretty background in my emails - but a photo and nearly everyone seems to like it. Ava ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/37 "2003-06-18T15:19:31Z")
There should never, for any reason, be more than one punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. Exclamation points should only be used to express strong feeling. Business shipments do not arouse strong feelings. Therefore, unless the shipment is James Marsters, naked, tied up with red ribbons, there is no excuse for using any exclamation points in communications regarding the shipment of packages. ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/38 "2003-06-18T15:29:38Z")
“Maybe I don’t use my exclamation points as haphazardly as you do.” - Jake, to Elaine, in “The Sniffing Accountant” ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/39 "2003-06-18T16:25:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FisherQueen \* > \*\*There should never, for any reason, be more than one punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. > > Exclamation points should only be used to express strong feeling. Business shipments do not arouse strong feelings. Therefore, unless the shipment is James Marsters, naked, tied up with red ribbons, there is no excuse for using any exclamation points in communications regarding the shipment of packages. \*\* Is this an option? Where do I go for the “Naked James Marsters shipment”? Is there a website I can order him from? 😃 Ava ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547/40 "2003-06-18T18:40:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mariemarie \* > \*\*I’m one who uses too many quotation marks. Sorry. I’ll try to cut down on that. \*\* Ask yourself two questions: 1. Am I quoting someone (were these words originally spoken or written by someone else)? 2. Am I referencing the title of a short work (chapter, essay, magazine article, etc.)? If you cannot answer yes to one of these two questions, you should not be using quotation marks. Since I’ve had to deal with the mad quotation mark user, I’ve become much more aware of their correct (and incorrect) use. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-exclamation-marks/182547.md?page=3)