!?

Bartholomew · Jan 6, 2007

"!?" is used a lot in comic books, despite being grammatically unsound.

Is it inappropriate to use "!?" to express a screamed question?

"What!?"

I've heard different takes on this before; I'll be interested to see what the general consensus over here is.

Freckles · Jan 6, 2007

I've actually seen this a lot in books, so my gut feeling is YES!!

But could I be wrong!?

Julie Worth · Jan 6, 2007

Don't do it unless you're writing comic books or chic lit. Or if you're a literary agent, in which case you're expected to use many exclamation marks: You've got the read this!!! It's genius!!!!!!!!!

Bartholomew · Jan 6, 2007

YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND MY GENIUS!!!

pink lily · Jan 6, 2007

Bartholomew said:
Is it inappropriate to use "!?" to express a screamed question?

"What!?"

It's called an "interrobang." It's appropriate to use to indicate a screamed question.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrobang

Jamesaritchie · Jan 6, 2007

Good Lord NO. Not unless you're writing comic books, and even then it comes across as cheesy.

Do this in a novel or a short story, and every editor I know is going to reach for a rejection. Even using an exclamation mark too often can get you in troube, let alone coupling it with a question mark.

pink lily · Jan 6, 2007

Whoopsies. So I was right about what to call it, but wrong about how to use it. My bad.

maestrowork · Jan 6, 2007

Oh noooooooooooooo!?!?!?!?

blacbird · Jan 6, 2007

No. It ranks with "Pow!" and "Zap!" flashed cartoon-style on the screen in the campy 1960s Batman TV series.

caw

Bartholomew · Jan 9, 2007

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony_mark

Hm...

Bartholomew · Jan 9, 2007

Oh, wow, interesting bit of trivia.

Although it has now fallen into disuse, it is actually correct usage in Spanish to begin a sentence with an opening inverted exclamation mark ('¡') and end it with a question mark ('?'), or vice-versa, for statements that are questions but also have a clear sense of exclamation or surprise such as: ¡Y tú quién te crees? ("Who do you think you are?!")[1].

Anonymous Traveler · Jan 10, 2007

Likewise French put the question mark first. Makes a lot more sense, personally. ?Avez vous un.....

ErylRavenwell · Jan 10, 2007

Anonymous Traveler said:
Likewise French put the question mark first. Makes a lot more sense, personally. ?Avez vous un.....

Actually, no. Same as English.

Anonymous Traveler · Jan 10, 2007

ErylRavenwell said:
Actually, no. Same as English.

Well, where did I pick up that nasty habit? In Quebec anything is possible (nice word, same in both languages).

veinglory · Jan 10, 2007

I've used it exactly once, the situation seemed to call for it.

!?

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Freckles

Oooh, the Rainbow Connection

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

Bartholomew

Comic guy

pink lily

I regret everything

Jamesaritchie

pink lily

I regret everything

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

blacbird

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Anonymous Traveler

His servent for life

ErylRavenwell

Anonymous Traveler

His servent for life

veinglory

volitare nequeo