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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Martinus on August 29, 2011, 06:11:32 AM

Title: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Martinus on August 29, 2011, 06:11:32 AM
Is there anyone out there who considers it acceptable to add multiple question marks (e.g. "What time will you be arriving??") at the end of a question in written correspondence, other than to denote the author's annoyance, displeasure or extreme surprise about the question?

I am asking because I have found it once or twice in e-mails where the author was not acting annoyed or aggressive otherwise (or it apparently wasn't the author's intention).

Are these people retarded or am I not aware of some convention?
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Cerr on August 29, 2011, 06:18:47 AM
Quote from: Martinus on August 29, 2011, 06:11:32 AM
Is there anyone out there who considers it acceptable to add multiple question marks (e.g. "What time will you be arriving??") at the end of a question in written correspondence, other than to denote the author's annoyance, displeasure or extreme surprise about the question?

I am asking because I have found it once or twice in e-mails where the author was not acting annoyed or aggressive otherwise (or it apparently wasn't the author's intention).

Are these people retarded or am I not aware of some convention?
It might have been a typo.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: BVN on August 29, 2011, 06:30:51 AM
Quote from: Cerr on August 29, 2011, 06:18:47 AM
Quote from: Martinus on August 29, 2011, 06:11:32 AM
Is there anyone out there who considers it acceptable to add multiple question marks (e.g. "What time will you be arriving??") at the end of a question in written correspondence, other than to denote the author's annoyance, displeasure or extreme surprise about the question?

I am asking because I have found it once or twice in e-mails where the author was not acting annoyed or aggressive otherwise (or it apparently wasn't the author's intention).

Are these people retarded or am I not aware of some convention?
It might have been a typo.

Get outta here with your reasonable explanations!  :mad:
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: The Brain on August 29, 2011, 06:50:13 AM
This was considered threadworthy??
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Josquius on August 29, 2011, 06:53:32 AM
Shows its definitely a question you need to answer and not rhetorical or....something?
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Zanza on August 29, 2011, 06:54:42 AM
Absolutely appalling!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Ideologue on August 29, 2011, 07:30:17 AM
Quote from: The Brain on August 29, 2011, 06:50:13 AM
This was considered threadworthy??

No fucking kidding.  Christ almighty.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Strix on August 29, 2011, 09:12:03 AM
Was the sender gay or straight?
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: DGuller on August 29, 2011, 09:54:54 AM
Quote from: Zanza on August 29, 2011, 06:54:42 AM
Absolutely appalling!!!!!!!
??
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Martinus on August 29, 2011, 09:58:45 AM
Quote from: Strix on August 29, 2011, 09:12:03 AM
Was the sender gay or straight?

Don't know.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: crazy canuck on August 29, 2011, 11:15:02 AM
Quote from: The Brain on August 29, 2011, 06:50:13 AM
This was considered threadworthy??

Martinus is running out of material.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Rasputin on August 29, 2011, 11:32:48 AM
i for one applaud marty for his recent efforts at posting threads on topics other than:

gays being persecuted,

gays not getting enough credit for their achievements,

gay romantic tales that reflect that marty aint really gay
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: derspiess on August 29, 2011, 01:24:00 PM
Quote from: Martinus on August 29, 2011, 06:11:32 AM
Is there anyone out there who considers it acceptable to add multiple question marks (e.g. "What time will you be arriving??") at the end of a question in written correspondence, other than to denote the author's annoyance, displeasure or extreme surprise about the question?

I am asking because I have found it once or twice in e-mails where the author was not acting annoyed or aggressive otherwise (or it apparently wasn't the author's intention).

Are these people retarded or am I not aware of some convention?

If it's from a co-worker & I know they have their head on straight, I'd chalk it up to being a typo.  Unfortunately, I've gotten a lot of emails from clients (not the general public, but bank employees who should know better) that are like that & much worse, and were definitely not typos.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Capetan Mihali on August 29, 2011, 01:39:55 PM
I like to use multiple punctuation marks in my personal e-mails to remind people what a wild and crazy guy I am!!   :)
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Sheilbh on August 29, 2011, 02:39:31 PM
There used to be someone in my office who would use multiple question marks and exclamation marks (singular and multiple) and the two in combo in almost every work-related e-mail <_<
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: garbon on August 29, 2011, 02:44:54 PM
What were you thinking???
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Habsburg on August 29, 2011, 03:24:30 PM
Little smilie faces are the current rage for several people in my intra company e-mails
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: MadImmortalMan on August 29, 2011, 03:57:39 PM
I avoid emotive language or signals of any kind in emails. Too easy to misunderstand on the part of the reader.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: The Brain on August 29, 2011, 04:11:36 PM
I dot my i's with little hearts in my work emails.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: jimmy olsen on August 29, 2011, 11:07:23 PM
Quote from: The Brain on August 29, 2011, 04:11:36 PM
I dot my i's with little hearts in my work emails.
:lol:
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: CountDeMoney on August 29, 2011, 11:12:32 PM
Those ?? are really asscheeks presenting, Marty.  Obviously a hint.  Surprised you didn't know that.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Monoriu on August 29, 2011, 11:23:52 PM
The only time I see people using more than one question mark is when a boss lectures someone over email.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Tonitrus on August 30, 2011, 01:14:29 AM
Quote from: Martinus on August 29, 2011, 06:11:32 AM
Is there anyone out there who considers it acceptable to add multiple question marks (e.g. "What time will you be arriving??") at the end of a question in written correspondence, other than to denote the author's annoyance, displeasure or extreme surprise about the question?

I am asking because I have found it once or twice in e-mails where the author was not acting annoyed or aggressive otherwise (or it apparently wasn't the author's intention).

Are these people retarded or am I not aware of some convention?

You note annoyance, displeasure, or extremen surprise.  There is another element, that being eagerness for an answer to said question is very important to them (possibly without containing annoyance, displeasure or surprise).

Though the "???" phenomenon, or any other punctuation either, I mostly notice coming from women.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Richard Hakluyt on August 30, 2011, 03:08:47 AM
Yeah, I would regard it as girly and infantile. The sort of thing that those dreadful "bubbly" people the British tabloids like talking about would do.

Putting that piece of grumpiness to one side though; if it came from a mature male client I would assume that he was doing it for emphasis (and also that his mother weaned him too young).
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Martinus on August 30, 2011, 03:10:58 AM
He is a male in his late 40s or early 50s, who is a partner in a lawfirm that we subcontract a part of the project to (in another jurisdiction). He is also a British expat.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Richard Hakluyt on August 30, 2011, 03:17:26 AM
Hmmm, well I'm British and in my 50s and keep business e-mails rather formal, writing them as if they were letters. Of course this fellow probably writes a 100 to my 1 and therefore might have moved with the times more  :hmm:
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: grumbler on August 30, 2011, 12:47:10 PM
In informal correspondence like email, multiple punctuation marks (? or !) at the end of sentences has become quite normal in the twenty-first century, as a away of increasing the intensity of the meaning.  I expect that when Poland gets to the twenty-first century, Polacks will start to realize that such punctuation under those circumstances is normal as well.  Until then, we can at least be amused at their ignorance and backwardness.  :cool:
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: The Brain on August 30, 2011, 12:48:37 PM
Quote from: grumbler on August 30, 2011, 12:47:10 PM
In informal correspondence like email, multiple punctuation marks (? or !) at the end of sentences has become quite normal in the twenty-first century, as a away of increasing the intensity of the meaning.  I expect that when Poland gets to the twenty-first century, Polacks will start to realize that such punctuation under those circumstances is normal as well.  Until then, we can at least be amused at their ignorance and backwardness.  :cool:

Do you teach children with that brain?
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Barrister on August 30, 2011, 12:49:15 PM
Quote from: grumbler on August 30, 2011, 12:47:10 PM
In informal correspondence like email, multiple punctuation marks (? or !) at the end of sentences has become quite normal in the twenty-first century, as a away of increasing the intensity of the meaning.  I expect that when Poland gets to the twenty-first century, Polacks will start to realize that such punctuation under those circumstances is normal as well.  Until then, we can at least be amused at their ignorance and backwardness.  :cool:

I avoid exclamation marks like the plague, but rarely the multiple question marks has been employed for emphasis.   It's easily overused, but effective in moderation.

Same with using ALL CAPS.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Zanza on August 30, 2011, 12:49:33 PM
Quote from: grumbler on August 30, 2011, 12:47:10 PM
In informal correspondence like email, multiple punctuation marks (? or !) at the end of sentences has become quite normal in the twenty-first century, as a away of increasing the intensity of the meaning.  I expect that when Poland gets to the twenty-first century, Polacks will start to realize that such punctuation under those circumstances is normal as well.  Until then, we can at least be amused at their ignorance and backwardness.  :cool:
I would prefer to stay backwards in that aspect then.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Scipio on August 30, 2011, 12:59:17 PM
I got an email two weeks ago with the subject line "You are fired!!!!!!!"

Best day of my life.  Bitch owes me $5700, and the judge wouldn't let me withdraw until after the trial.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: crazy canuck on August 30, 2011, 03:38:50 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 30, 2011, 12:49:15 PM
I avoid exclamation marks like the plague, but rarely the multiple question marks has been employed for emphasis.   It's easily overused, but effective in moderation.

Same with using ALL CAPS.

YOUR VIEW WILL CHANGE WHEN YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE SAME DIRECTION TO SOMEONE REPETITIVELY!!!!!
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: grumbler on August 30, 2011, 03:51:07 PM
Quote from: Zanza on August 30, 2011, 12:49:33 PM
Quote from: grumbler on August 30, 2011, 12:47:10 PM
In informal correspondence like email, multiple punctuation marks (? or !) at the end of sentences has become quite normal in the twenty-first century, as a away of increasing the intensity of the meaning.  I expect that when Poland gets to the twenty-first century, Polacks will start to realize that such punctuation under those circumstances is normal as well.  Until then, we can at least be amused at their ignorance and backwardness.  :cool:
I would prefer to stay backwards in that aspect then.
There's no ignorance like willful ignorance.  :cool:
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Malthus on August 30, 2011, 04:36:49 PM
Depends entirely on the level of formality and relationship with the receiver of the email.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Eddie Teach on August 30, 2011, 04:52:11 PM
I don't think I've ever seen grumbler use multiple exclamation points or question marks in a Languish post.  :hmm:
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: grumbler on August 30, 2011, 07:16:07 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on August 30, 2011, 04:52:11 PM
I don't think I've ever seen grumbler use multiple exclamation points or question marks in a Languish post.  :hmm:
I don't use them.  That doesn't mean I don't know what they mean, nor why others use them.
Title: Re: Multiple question marks in e-mail correspondence
Post by: Ideologue on August 30, 2011, 07:29:55 PM
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