We would like to begin this column with a side note. Based on our two previous columns one might assume we stand for all of the traditional rules and conventions of English. Our defense of the subjunctive and our denunciation of excessive dashing might make one think we’re a bit conservative when it comes to grammar. In this column we’re going to prove that we are not the Sarah Palins of grammar. We’re Ron Pauls — seemingly conservative in our love for old documents like the Constitution but really enthusiastically radical.
We three grammar enthusiasts believe in the rules of grammar but we also stand as proponents of the interrobang.
The interrobang is the love child of the exclamation point and the question mark. (Yes they had a child out of wedlock. How dare they?!) It is a very special punctuation mark to us.
Pushed into relative obscurity and not accepted as a standard mark the interrobang is formed by layering an exclamation mark over a question mark. But because most fonts do not include an interrobang character it is generally represented by a question mark followed by an exclamation mark: ?!
The interrobang is helpful in getting the real essence of certain phrases across: “How dare you?!”; “What do you mean?!”; “Why won’t you love me?!” This mark marries curiosity and excitement wonder and shock incredulity and questioning: “You did what to my daughter?!” It is often used to mark Yiddish questions: “I give you a fountain pen for your bar mitzvah and this is the thanks I get?!”
It’s the onomatopoeia of the punctuation world. It needs be the hefty mark it is to properly convey the emotion that accompanies its usage. It is a sudden interjectory question. The speaker of the interrobang should have eyebrows raised to the sky and jaw dropped to the floor.
But this wonderful mark should not be used merely to punctuate questions of disgust. What makes this mark wonderful is its ability to electrify inquisitiveness.
The interrobang is the perfect pick-me-up for dreary days of essay writing and exam cramming that come at the end of the semester. It has the power to restore excitement in learning. It infuses writing with pizzazz and energizes questioning.
Imagine staying up all night to read up on your favorite subject on Wikipedia. Picture your joy as you learn more about hedgehogs than you ever knew existed. Did you know hedgehogs come from northern Europe? Did you know hedgehog babies are the most hideous handheld creatures this side of Haiti? Did you know hedgehogs are illegal in California?
If you had spent your time on Wikipedia at 3 a.m. you might know these things. It is the spirit of the interrobang that breathes life into learning. If Pepperdine’s goal is to inspire us with a love for learning their logo should be the interrobang — just like that one library in Australia. There’s a little something else we picked up on Wikipedia.
This quizzically astonished mark came late to the English punctuation scene and enjoyed a short-lived career of fame. The mark was invented in 1962 by an advertiser who wanted to spice up his copy with more dramatic punctuation. It appeared in magazines and newspapers in its time but its life cycle was more firework than JFK eternal flame. Its legacy now lies in the annals of obscure punctuation history and occasional membership in quirky fonts.
As we typed this article Microsoft Word questioned our use of the interrobang. It tried to make us choose between curiosity and excitement. We say: Why choose one?! If you were paying careful attention at the end of the last paragraph you’ll probably be asking yourself: “How can I go about typing the interrobang in my own work?!” Well simply change your font to Windings 2 and type ] ^?_ ` for four different iterations of the interrobang. How curiously exciting?!
Now just as we cautioned with the dash overusing the interrobang would render it meaningless. Prose filled with interrobangs will overwhelm the reader with an unhealthy amount of emotion. The last thing you want to do is give your readers tachycardia. That would distract them from your central message. Causing your reader’s heart rate to reach hummingbird speeds probably qualifies as not pitying your reader.
The interrobang is a case in point that punctuation is full of passion. Use it to convey astonishment excitement and questioning as you embrace this innovative symbol in your writing.