A favorite of the fairer sex, the exclamation point is a punctuation mark so often misused. You’ll find them springing up at the end of the most mundane words and phrases: “Ten CDs For One Dollar!” “Hi!” “Help, I’m on fire!” Okay, maybe that last one is a bad example. But, really, what’s so hard to understand? The exclamation point (not “explanation point,” by the way) is designed to express excitement or extreme emotion. So, yes, my use of the exclamation point in my last rant after the word “fuck” is just fine.
What could be worse than adding a “!” where it doesn’t belong? Adding two or three of them. Or ten! Did you see how I did that? Do you see how much more emphasis is put on a word when you use the exclamation point sparingly? Okay, fine, if you have to use the exclamation point after every sentence, do it. Use as many as you want. But for godsakes, please, I beg of you, do not finish it off with a fucking heart or a damn happy face. Exclamation Points really suck.
Fairer sex? I’m convinced that all people are stupid. Just stupid about different stuff.
It would totally amaze you Smiv, the number of exclamation points that college students include in say research papers about things like sentence structure, paragraph organization. Or in my literature class, Sylvia Plath was a better writer than Ted Hughes!!!!! Elizabeth Barrett Browning showed through her poems that she truly loved her husband!!!!! No shit!!! Stop it already!!! I want to choke you!!!! I wish I were kidding.
But I am not kidding that I took one point off for each exclamation point. And 10 if you write “The End” on the last page of a paper.
And honestly Smiv, you’re right – Men don’t do this.
I like the idea of taking points off for exclamation points. I do think I was guilty of the “The End” on the last page, though. But I think a teacher told me to do that.
In any case, in my business, it’s an unwritten rule that anyone who uses an exclamation point in their headline or copy is a hack. Ironically, one of the latest ads to come out of our agency features the dreaded punctuation mark. Go fig. At least I had nothing to do with it.
when have you ever been that close to a person of the fairer sex, scott?
Eggbert, it is because of the fact that I have not been physically close to the fairer sex in a while that I have had the misfortune of reading their overly-emotional emails. Thank you, again, for respecting my anonymity.
You haven’t been physically close to girls, but read their overly emotional emails? Are you like a rock star? or have a long distance girlfriend who misses you desperately!!!! I bet if the sender(s) of those emotionally overcharged emails read this she’d be just so hurt!!!!
By overly emotional, I mean there are too many exclamation points. Oh, wait a minute. I get it now. Irony. The four exclamation points at the end of your message. Clever. I’m slow.
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