English: How do You Mix Together a Question and an Exclamation in Writing?

[Tears of Blood]

Seriously. I have wondered about this for a long time. Is there a proper way to have something in writing be a question, yet still an exclamation? Must you sacrifice the ! in the writing for the ? if it is simply a question? Most of us do the "!?" or "?!" but is there any way in particular that is "right?"

I know someone out here knows.

 

[arc101]

It depends on whether the tone of the statement is more interrogative or more exclamative. It goes '?!' and '!?' respectively

 

[wordsmith]

Why the hell would you do something like that?!?

 

[THEMANWHOIS]

On analytical papers you combine them at all. I had a paper come back to me a long time ago saying it was too informal. Usually just the question mark if it's a question. If you're writing fiction or something that doesn't have to be formal, then it's just however you want it.

 

[Calobi]

&#8253; <- Interrobang, baby!

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

&#8253; <- Interrobang, baby!

Hell yes for obscure punctuation!

 

[Disaster Button]

I don't ike !'s.

They always make sentences sound like some really, really, really happy person is saying spitting them with a giant smile on their face which makes me cringe everytime I see one.

 

[Frankydee]

(generic question) exclamation point.
I figured it's to imply yelling or something to that degree.

but I think it's probably evolved into (question)!??!???

What's the problem!

 

[Sporky111]

Seeing as WTF is can be used as both a question and an exclamation, I think it rightfully deserves both the question mark and the exclamation point.

 

[Godavari]

I'm going to go with "Interrobang".

 

[Amnestic]

!?

Like so. Always like so. I never ?! and in fact if I typo as such I correct it because it looks silly.

 

[Joe Matsuda]

i do !?! if its more "eclamitive" than 'questionative"

and ?!? if its more "questionative" than "eclamitive"

...but thats just me...got it marked down on a homework assignment once....it was only a point though....just saying...

 

[Kuchinawa212]

Hmm well for the internet '!?'
but like in a English paper just ! as the question is hopefully implied
Ex:
"Where are they shooting us from!" The question of where are they is implied, but the exclamation point tells us the emphasis

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[JemJar]

I go with ?! - I think I just prefer the idea that the question mark is fundamentally more important as it directly denotes the meaning of what's being conveyed and the exclamation mark is just an auxiliary for indicating tone.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

I don't ike !'s.

They always make sentences sound like some really, really, really happy person is saying spitting them with a giant smile on their face which makes me cringe everytime I see one.

ME TOO!!!!!!!



OT:

Any combination of the two punctuations is informal, and technically incorrect. Do it however you want in colloquial writing.

 

[Disaster Button]

I don't ike !'s.

They always make sentences sound like some really, really, really happy person is saying spitting them with a giant smile on their face which makes me cringe everytime I see one.

ME TOO!!!!!!!



OT:

Any combination of the two punctuations is informal, and technically incorrect. Do it however you want in colloquial writing.

I just cringed myself into a near coma.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED