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Question re the ? and the !

Question re the ? and the !

Old Feb 1st 2010 | 3:59 am
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Default Question re the ? and the !

This is not a criticism merely a question to try and satisfy my curiosity.

I have noticed a number of posters to this forum always leave a space between the end of a sentence and either the question mark or the exclamation point.

These same poster don't leave a space for the comma or the period (full stop).

Can anyone explain why?
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:03 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Steve_P
This is not a criticism merely a question to try and satisfy my curiosity.

I have noticed a number of posters to this forum always leave a space between the end of a sentence and either the question mark or the exclamation point.

These same poster don't leave a space for the comma or the period (full stop).

Can anyone explain why?
Come now Steve !, why aren't you naming and shaming these English language morons ?
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:04 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Alan2005
Come now Steve !, why aren't you naming and shaming these English language morons ?
At no point did I say anyone was a moron.

Please don't put words in my mouth.
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:05 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Steve_P
No but it would appear that you just joined the club, deliberately so I would assume?
I actually added lots of spaces in a pathetic attempt at comedy. It only looks like one in the post though, so it was a bit of a waste of time.
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:06 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Steve_P
This is not a criticism merely a question to try and satisfy my curiosity.

I have noticed a number of posters to this forum always leave a space between the end of a sentence and either the question mark or the exclamation point.

These same poster don't leave a space for the comma or the period (full stop).

Can anyone explain why?
What do you mean
? !
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:06 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Alan2005
I actually added lots of spaces in a pathetic attempt at comedy. It only looks like one in the post though, so it was a bit of a waste of time.
Oops got caught editing.
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:08 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by The Aviator
What do you mean
? !
It started out as a serious question.

Sure didn't take long to descend into chaos.
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:11 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by The Aviator
What do you mean
? !
What is that in your avatar ? Is it one of those large 'cigar shaped objects' that you pilots like to talk about when you've hit the sauce?

Originally Posted by Steve_P
It started out as a serious question.

Sure didn't take long to descend into chaos.
Sorry...
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:14 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Alan2005
Sorry...
Don't be.

It will likely more fun this way.

However I'd still like an explanation if anyone can give me one.
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 4:21 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Steve_P
Don't be.

It will likely more fun this way.

However I'd still like an explanation if anyone can give me one.
The french do it that way apparently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Question_mark

Reading that I'm amazed to see things like this exist. Irony marks indeed....
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 5:55 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

The caviler use of ellipses and em dashes really gets my goat.
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 6:03 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Alan2005
The french do it that way apparently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Question_mark

Reading that I'm amazed to see things like this exist. Irony marks indeed....
There's something rather splendidly ironic about the idea of an irony mark. Isn't the whole point of irony that it's something of an in-joke at the expense of the uninitiated who don't "get it"?
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 6:04 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Oink
The caviler use of ellipses and em dashes really gets my goat.
yeah - them cavilers think they can get away with anything, don't they....

 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 6:08 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Oink
The caviler use of ellipses and em dashes really gets my goat.
... but I use them like.... - all - the - time!
 
Old Feb 1st 2010 | 6:08 am
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Default Re: Question re the ? and the !

Originally Posted by Oakvillian
There's something rather splendidly ironic about the idea of an irony mark. Isn't the whole point of irony that it's something of an in-joke at the expense of the uninitiated who don't "get it"?
But I can see why it would be needed in Canada and the US though.
 

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