Ending sentences with "?!"

JJohns · Jan 24, 2009

I'm curious if it's acceptable to end sentences with "?!" or "!?" and which would be more appropriate in terms of formatting. Or is it a conditional sort of thing?

For instance, "What was that for?!"

Thanks a lot!

scarletpeaches · Jan 24, 2009

Brother needs him some interrobang.

JJohns · Jan 24, 2009

Lol. I never knew such a thing existed.

BTW, was your old sig a collection of Jared Leto pics or am I confusing you with someone else?

scarletpeaches · Jan 24, 2009

Yes it was; I switch often.

abctriplets · Jan 24, 2009

JJohns said:
I'm curious if it's acceptable to end sentences with "?!" or "!?" and which would be more appropriate in terms of formatting. Or is it a conditional sort of thing?

For instance, "What was that for?!"

Thanks a lot!

"!?" - I have never seen it this way before

Does it actually exist?!

JJohns · Jan 24, 2009

I don't know if I have either. I always do it with the '?' first.

The Rav · Jan 24, 2009

If you're trying to be published, don't do it.

BlueLucario · Jan 24, 2009

Don't do it.

I know what you're talking about, and I've seen that in Manga from time to time.

dpaterso · Jan 24, 2009

Indeed, it's comic dialogue punctuation, not proper grammar.

-Derek

JJohns · Jan 24, 2009

Ah, ok, thanks.

Another somewhat related question is: how about using only punctuation to show reaction?

For instance, a character reacting to an inquiry from another character with:

"?"

or surprise with,

"!"

BlueLucario · Jan 24, 2009

I sort asked the same question somewhere.

It's better to show a character's reactions rather than to give us a punctuation mark, that we won't understand anyway.

semilargeintestine · Jan 24, 2009

I was always under the impression that "" meant something spoken; how can you say, "?" or "!"?

dpaterso · Jan 24, 2009

JJohns said:
how about using only punctuation to show reaction?

For instance, a character reacting to an inquiry from another character with:

"?"

or surprise with,

"!"

Again, that's comic style dialogue. The ? or ! is a stand-in for a gasp or squeal or other non-spoken reaction. It just doesn't fly in prose. Maybe you should write comics.

-Derek

kuwisdelu · Jan 24, 2009

I wouldn't use it in a novel or short story.

If the surprise is important, I prefer

"What was that for!" since the fact that it's a question is fairly obvious.

If the surprise isn't quite as important, or can be sufficiently shown with a tag,

"What was that for?" is fine.

Aschenbach · Jan 24, 2009

Don't use punctuation marks when you can use adverbs.

Instead of "What?!"

Try;

"What," he roared, questioningly.

NeuroFizz · Jan 24, 2009

Here's a clue. Write fucking words.

End of clue.

Did I need a ! at the end of the second sentence, or did you get the emotion behind it from the words alone? That's what writers do--they let the words do the talking, not punctuation tricks.

There is a time and a place for punctuation marks, like the exclamation point, but if you put them all over the place in a story, they will lose their power and:
1) possibly piss of the reader
2) likely piss of the agent
3) for sure piss of the editor

Ken · Jan 24, 2009

I've seen it used a lot on the web, e.g. "WTF?!," but never in novels.
People really seem to despise the combo with a passion. Not sure why?
There do seem to be occasions when the double-punctuation might be of use.
(As Derek mentioned it is used in comics, where the stringent Show, Don't Tell!!! law is less enforced.)

abctriplets · Jan 24, 2009

Aschenbach said:
Don't use punctuation marks when you can use adverbs.

Instead of "What?!"

Try;

"What," he roared, questioningly.

Really? You wouldn't put a question mark there? To me it reads very flat without it.

nevada · Jan 24, 2009

Aschenbach said:
Don't use punctuation marks when you can use adverbs.

Instead of "What?!"

Try;

"What," he roared, questioningly.

Actually, the word What already implies that he's questioning, so you dont need that adverb. you dont really need adverbs at all.

"What," he roared says it all.

The Rav · Jan 24, 2009

abctriplets said:
Really? You wouldn't put a question mark there? To me it reads very flat without it.

Personally, I'd avoid the adverb, too. I'd use some other way to show the surprise (key on show, not tell, a la adverb).

Aschenbach · Jan 24, 2009

nevada said:
you dont really need adverbs at all.

But you just used one!

Physician, heal thyself!

nevada · Jan 24, 2009

Aschenbach said:
But you just used one!

Physician, heal thyself!

rules are different in conversation. and im not sure really in that sentence qualifies as an adverb.

Aschenbach · Jan 24, 2009

nevada said:
rules are different in conversation. and im not sure really in that sentence qualifies as an adverb.

Neither am I. Whatever! Who am I, Strunk & White?!

JJohns · Jan 24, 2009

semilargeintestine said:
I was always under the impression that "" meant something spoken; how can you say, "?" or "!"?

I asked that because I read this scene in a Terry Pratchett novel that went:

Subtle changes in the beggar's posture made the stranger feel more at ease. He consulted the small book again.

"I wish to be directed to a hotel, tavern, lodging house, inn, hospice, caravanserai," he said.

"What, all of them?" said Hugh, taken aback.

"?" said the stranger.

And I was surprised that it worked pretty well, in my mind, and wanted to see what others thought.

dpaterso · Jan 24, 2009

No fair, Pratchett is a grandmaster of humorous whimsy, readers expect such cleverness to prance and skitter off the pages. You ought to have provided this quoted example up front instead of posting what was perceived as a general writing/grammar question.

-Derek

Ending sentences with "?!"

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