But the other is ... I want to exclaim something AND make it a question at the same time, how do I do it? I can punctuate it as an exclamation, though it feels wrong since a question mark ought to be present when a question is asked. I could mark it with a question mark and let the exclamation be taken from the context, but then the tone isn't read how I'd like it to be read. I could put in both marks, though that feels redundat...

Okay, in that case, I usually put a bunch of both. But that's in informal writing.

In a story, exclamation points are frowned on unless they are absolutely necessary. (Gratuituous exclamation points are more of a no-no than some other kinds of gratuitous things, sad to say.)

Most of the time, you have to indicate the exclamatory nature of the statement (or exclamation) through context. So I still say put a question mark at the end if it's a question.

An exclamatory sentence should properly end with an exclamation point. So basically they are saying you should only rarely use exclamatory sentences.

LATTEN

Robert made a good point. I realize that 99% of my exclamations exist as part of dialog. Does the "rule" apply strictly to exposition, or are they not acceptbale in dialog as well?

deb,

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

LOL

I think to address one of your questions, you should use caution when using exclamation marks in dialogue. Just be sure you're not overusing them, unless you're writing for a teen girl/YA audience who already exclaims about every other sentence.

(I kid, I joke, and I write for that subgenre, so don't go hassling me about my gross generalization of teen girl exclamative behavior.)

This mark is awesome. I'm certain my writing has now changed forever. I wonder if anyone ever uses it in formal writing? What would an editor do? lol

Do you have to underline the question mark instead of putting the interrobang so that they know what you mean? (seeing as they can't catch on to italics)

The problem with things like exclamation points or even interrobangs, is that the more they are used, the less impact they have.

Sort of like putting salt on your food. Without salt, food can be pretty bland, but only a little is really necessary. (When I make something that calls for salt, I usually use half of what is called for, and that works fine.) Too much not only overwhelms the taste of the food, but it can be bad for your health (and in this analogy, health could refer to reader interest).

I would say, unless you're writing in first person, NEVER use exclamation points in narration. And no matter what person you're writing in, only use them for dialog when people would really be yelling or screaming.

Some people like to use "s/he", but that only works for subjects of sentences. For objects, you have to do something like "hirm" and for possessive you have to do something like "hir" or "hirs" and that gets in the "looks like a typo" area.

Again, it can be a narration versus dialog thing. People talking can say it anyway they like, as long as it's consistent with their personalities. Narrators can also have a particular style, but the rules tend to be a little more rigid for them.

"I love you."

As a lover?

As a friend?

Do you just like being in my presence?

Currently, that's my biggest problem with the English language. Maybe its because I just finished up a semester of choir where we used other languages...

A·ga´pe, carries the meaning of love guided, or governed, by principle

Phili’a, more nearly represents tender affection - warm friendship love based on mutual esteem.

e´ros, love between the sexes.

storge, is natural affection, a feeling usually based on blood relationship.

I'm not helping, huh?

Tracy

As in, "One is happy to be of service."

What I want is:

If a doctor needs to go to the bathroom, ___ must wash his hands.

My instinct is to put "he" in the blank, but what if the doctor might be female? I don't like just using "she" and more than I like just using "he," and "it" certainly will not work. If I doctor is an it, I don't want it operating on me.

So I'll try "one."

If a doctor needs to go to the bathroom, one must wash his hands.

I don't like it. It might work, technically, but I think it sounds silly. Something about the word "one" is that it doesn't seem tied to the third-person, which is really what I'm going for. (3rd person singular neutral animate)

Because I can use "one" to represent first person singular ("One is happy to be of service,) AND I can use it to represent 2nd person even though it's a stretch ("If you go down there, one should bring a flashlight.")

So... it's more of a universal person singular pronoun. What I want is something strictly 3rd.

Speaking of ambiguity, and tnwilz's list of four Greek words for love, if you look at it in Greek, you will see that when Jesus asked Peter if Peter loved Jesus those three times, he used different words:

Oops... did I just break a rule again.

quote:

---

Let's get Inarticulate Babbler in on this one!?

---

Uh... Maybe the period under the question mark could be an asterix (it would seem fitting for the pronounciation of The Exclaquestion Point--which reads to me like it begins with a laxitive.

On a more serious note:

quote:

---

I want to exclaim something AND make it a question at the same time, how do I do it?

---

Add characterization to the dialogue:

He leaned forward, his nose nearly touching his captive, and yelled, "Do I make myself clear?"

Add characterization to the dialogue.

Absolutely the correct answer! Context!

How's this for ambiguity? Lifted from a sitcom. "I've got the wrench, you've got the hammer. When I nod my head, you hit it."

"John, you know how much I agape you...sometimes it's like Storge even..."

Q: How many Lojbanists does it take to change a broken light bulb?

quote:

---

He leaned forward, his nose nearly touching his captive, and yelled, "Do I make myself clear?"

---

That's good. I think it's interesting how you use the tag in front of the line, so the reader knows before he reads the line that it is yelled, instead of "Please pass me some tea," John yelled. Which might force someone to re-read the line.

This all goes back to the late, great Arthur C. Clarke's advice: Our job is not to write so that the reader understands, but to write so that the reader can't possibly misunderstand.