When you read posts or texts in your head, do you put emphasis on words that are capitalized or when the poster puts an exclamation point or a lot of exclamation points?
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jca2 (
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3 weeks ago
When you read posts or texts in your head, and someone puts an exclamation point or lots of exclamation points, or writes in caps (CAPS), do you read it the way it’s written, just to be funny?
For example, if someone says “If the party is tomorrow, I am NOT going!!!!” do you read it like that to amuse yourself? Or if they say “I am eager to build the deck but right now it’s going to be WAY WAY WAY too expensive” would you read it like that in your head?
Humor welcome.
I do read things the way they’re written, and it’s quite amusing.
I told a friend recently that I think there should be a punctuation mark that is somewhere between a period (.) and an exclamation point (!) because when we text, a period may sound dull but an exclamation point is not necessarily the way it sounds when we verbalize it.
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11 Answers
If there are too many exclamation points, I drop a couple in my head!
Too many exclamation points tell me the person is unhinged. I hear it in my head as if they are exploding with either anger or joy. Either was it’s too much.
Oh yeah.
I can picture some people whilst they are saying it.
I don’t know if I do that that much, but I did read a really interesting article a while back where the exclamation point seems to be used more in our electronic communications today. For instance, if you are emailing somebody in response to their email and thanking them, it almost seems like your thank you is not genuine if you don’t put an exclamation point at the end.
So compare…
Thank you.
Thank you!
I don’t know, but I just feel like the second one really sounds like the person appreciates what you did, but not so much with the first one.
I agree though, multiple exclamation points are way too much!
^(Maybe) I’m an idiot, but I feel like using exclamation marks is a bit feminine. If my brother texted me Thank you! I would insult his masculinity.
But. When I am communicating with a female, I do view the exclamation marks as someone being cheerful, or bubbly and it can actually make a difference.
When I write “Thank you” to someone, I feel that it’s more mature without the exclamation point. But the person to whom I’m writing makes a difference. If it’s to my landlord or a professional, I don’t use an exclamation point, but I’d likely add “so much” to emphasize the thanks. To a friend I’m texting, yes I’m likely to add an exclamation point.
Like @jca2, I also read things in my head the way they’re written. Caps feel like they’re yelling and I don’t care for that. More than one exclamation point, for the most part, seems silly and similar to yelling. I rarely use bold or CAPS, but I do like to use italics to emphasize a word or meaning.
Caps are usually louder in my head. It usually feels like the person is yelling, especially if it’s an entire post in caos, but if it’s one word sometimes it’s just so the reader doesn’t miss the word as long as there are no exclamation marks.
For example: the hotel does NOT have a shuttle to the airport. That makes sure the reader knows they need to figure out other transportation.
By contrast, the hotel does NOT have a shuttle to the airport! Is more like exasperation. Especially if it is using !!!
All caps and a period could be IF YOU ONLY READ ONE THING ON THIS ENTIRE PAGE READ THIS.
Too many caps feels like the person is screaming, and !!!!!!!! makes me feel like they’re getting ready to explode. I recoil from both and run away.
OMG just one more reason I can’t stand texting, I didn’t realize people are judging you from your text.
I user to have a coworker who used “lol” a lot. I thought it was weird without an exclamation mark.
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