Re:The exclamation mark divided the world
by adrian_b on Saturday November 19, 2022 @04:44AM
(#33668645)
The use of the exclamation mark for imperative sentences is frequent in many European languages, not only in German.
I believe that there should be 2 different kinds of exclamation marks, because there are 2 very different vocal intonations, one for imperative sentences, like commands, and another for exclamations denoting surprise, pleasure, pain, enthusiasm etc., and these 2 kinds of intonations are also very different from the other 2 kinds of intonations, for questions and for enunciative sentences.
For example, one could have used a single exclamation mark for imperative intonation and a double exclamation mark for proper exclamations, or vice-versa.
Unfortunately, at this time it is not likely that anyone would ever be able to enforce any change in the use of the traditional punctuation, no matter how ambiguous it might be.
I believe that there should be 2 different kinds of exclamation marks, because there are 2 very different vocal intonations, one for imperative sentences, like commands, and another for exclamations denoting surprise, pleasure, pain, enthusiasm etc., and these 2 kinds of intonations are also very different from the other 2 kinds of intonations, for questions and for enunciative sentences.
For example, one could have used a single exclamation mark for imperative intonation and a double exclamation mark for proper exclamations, or vice-versa.
Unfortunately, at this time it is not likely that anyone would ever be able to enforce any change in the use of the traditional punctuation, no matter how ambiguous it might be.