The exclamation point!!! Did words lose their meaning?

I don’t know what has happened in the last ten years or so but there has been an explosion in the use of the exclamation point. I realized this last week when I got an email from someone who replaced all of the periods in the email with exclamation points. If this person wanted to emphasize how excited she was then she would add some additional exclamation points! See the email below:

Hi Guys!! Please check out this months newsletter for upcoming in-services and court hearings! Yay for summer starting!! Even though summer is a busy time please make sure to stay in contact with the kids you are working with!

The exclamation point is defined as a punctuation mark usually used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or high volume (shouting), and often marks the end of a sentence.

An example would be someone yelling “Look out!” or “Leave!”

Knowing this definition greatly changes the this email. If this email was a conversation the sender of the email would sound deranged. Could you imagine conversation where someone was yelling the entire time?

HI!! PLEASE SEE THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTER! YAY FOR SUMMER STARTING! MAKE SURE TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE KIDS WHOM YOUR WORKING!

If people talked the way we use exclamation points in texts or emails, then many of our conversations would sound like two Drill Sergeants taking turns yelling at each other.

Now I realize that in texts an exclamation point adds a certain flourish which at times can make statements funnier, communicate sarcasm, or make them more emotional. But I still argue that the exclamation point is overused. I use the exclamation point primarily to make my statements seem more emotional or grateful. Today when I’m texting I feel like a cold hearted gerk if I don’t add an exclamation point after I say “Thank you” or “It was good to see you”. If I tell someone I’m so excited to see them, doesn’t that mean exactly that? Do I need an exclamation point to make my words genuine? Nonetheless, I use this cheap trick to try to make my words seem more genuine and meaningful.

The quote below I think accurately surmises my thoughts on exclamation points.

Cut out all those exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own jokes.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

If we are able to effectively to write and communicate ourselves then we really don’t need to use the exclamation point. A loud exclamation point shouldn’t be used to make sense of our statements. So from now on I’m changing how I text and email. Unless what I’m saying is something I would actually yell, then I’m not going to use the exclamation point. That’s right no more texts from me like

Thanks!

Hey girl, do you still want to meet up late tonight!?!

I love a good Jdawg!

Or emails with lines like

I look forward to seeing you!

If you have any questions let me know!

In conclusion, pay more attention to how use the exclamation point, I know I will. And yes, the overuse of the exclamation point is not deece!!!!!!!!!!!

Chase Hansen