DISQUS

Brain Traffic Blog: Get to the Exclamation Point Online

  • DanHaley · 1 year ago
    Sure; why not use the exclamation point‽ A caveat, though: in our cynical modern times, the e.p. is freighted with irony more often than enthusiasm.
    By the way: thanks for the blog, Brain Traffic folks! [No irony intended in that particular mark.]
  • Patrick Samphire · 1 year ago
    I'm not sure I buy this. Maybe it's a degree of cultural indoctrination, but the exclamation point comes across as false and fake. It says that the person trying to sell you something or convince you of something is lacking the substance to back it up and is so resorting to punctuational hyperbole.
    You don't need excessive words to make a point with an impact. You just need the right ones. The exclamation point suggests you haven't found them.
  • Angie King · 11 months ago
    Patrick—you have some good ideas about using the right words to make your point. But I don't think that excludes the use of an exclamation point. Strategically placed, the bang adds value. In fact, I see a few exclamation points on your own home page ... must have seemed like a good idea at some point. :)
  • Jeff · 11 months ago
    Never saw an exclamation point I didn't like!