explantion points

[Nezhul]

"Five exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind." (c) Pratchett, Reaper Man.

I just don't like them and don't think they are good. I'll admit I was too definite when I said they were wrong. Do as you like, but I just think they are pure style, even though Pratchett himself used them a few times.

 

[sbrooks103x]

I have been reading conflicting grammar usage for the explanation point .

I have read that you could put it on either side of a question mark (before is less expressive than after)

and other places they do not even mention that rule at all.

What is right.

I don't know if there is any rule, I've done it both ways. If I had to guess, it would depend on which was more pertinent, the question or the exclamation, though I'm still not sure which would go first!

Take a guy walking in on his wife screwing another guy. Hey says, "What's going on here?!" I don't think he's actually asking a question!

 

[Handley_Page]

I thought for a moment that I'd encountered another 'difference' between English & American.
'Explanation point' ?
Oh, I see.
"Exclamation mark"

 

[SimonDoom]

I can't think of a situation in which combining an exclamation mark and question mark enhances the writing.

After looking at the OP's question I tried to think of a reputable author who did this. I thought Tom Wolfe might, because he often writes in an amped-up, exaggerated style that sometimes deviates from punctuation and capitalization norms for special effect. But I looked through some of his books and couldn't find an example of this.

 

[MindsMirror]

It has a name. ?! and !? are referred to as interrobang. It's a portmanteau (like literotica) which even has a symbol ‽ (although it's non standard).

Double punctuation forms are used and the symbol is almost never used (probably because there is no key for it).
There are some examples from About.com.

Finally there are real published examples of the double punctuation form from notable authors.
See Jeff Noon's Vurt.
Or Jose Eduardo Agualusa's The Book of Chameleons
-MM

 

[timelord1963]

weaker

So basically, there is a rule. In writing, t is poor form because it weakens the structure of the sentence.

The better form would be to use just one or the other, favoring the '?' as you do not want to use a massive about of '!' especially the now common use of the '!!!'

Thanks to all of you who replied to my question. I am a very poor writer and I am taking 'baby steps' to slowly becoming a better one. So, when I see conflicting rules I get confused.

I often go online for a quick rule but I also have a "Writer's INC A student handbook for writing and learning" by Sebranek/Kemper/ Myer. It gets very high ratings-- even from professionals (thee is even a handbook fir teachers,)

Right now, that is information overload so, I am just sticking to certain sections.

I am starting to write stories around 5,000 words to try iron out problems.

 

[Hypoxia]

So basically, there is a rule. In writing, t is poor form because it weakens the structure of the sentence.

Many rules can and should be broken in creative writing. Human fictions, especially renderings of speech, need not follow the same guidelines (suffer the same constraints) as reporting, technical writing, and other such formal prose.

People often do not speak in clear prose. We mumble and mutter, ramble, yell emotionally, whisper, exclaim, repeat or contradict or correct ourselves, and otherwise break up a flow of words. "What the fuck!? WHAT THE-- Oh, it's you. Shit, wierded me out... Hey! Put that down!!!"

Clear speech too often sounds stiff and formal, like reading an academic paper aloud in a monotone. Bored audiences will stop paying attention. I usually (but not always) heed this rule: Third-person narratives are formal. Speech and first-person narratives can be informal.

Weakly-structured sentences have their place. At times. Used prudently, for flavor.

 

[Handley_Page]

Clear speech too often sounds stiff and formal, like reading an academic paper aloud in a monotone. Bored audiences will stop paying attention. I usually (but not always) heed this rule: Third-person narratives are formal. Speech and first-person narratives can be informal.

.

I've never understood why an academic paper (or a formal presentation) should be made to sound boring. Any presentation I made had a touch of humour (I hope); most of my audience stayed awake, anyway.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

I've never understood why an academic paper (or a formal presentation) should be made to sound boring. Any presentation I made had a touch of humour (I hope); most of my audience stayed awake, anyway.

Too many academics don't understand it either. Somehow or other, they've gotten the notion that anything that isn't stilted and boring just can't be "academic."

(It's helpful, too, they think, to use lots of passive constructions.)

 

[Athalia]

I was under the impression that ?? or !! were not necessary and should not be used.

What????????? Are you kidding?????????? That is just so weird!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, when I was on Facebook for a while a few years ago, one of the best ways to keep me from clicking on a link was the inclusion of ??? or !!! in the copy. I knew that madness lay that way.