Wednesday, November 30, 2022

So There's a Name for My Three Dots?

 Alexa's recent Question of the Day was, "What do you call a combination question mark/exclamation point? 


The answer was  interrobang (‽). Seriously


Well, one of the choices was an ellipsis. That sounded good to me so I chose that answer. And I was wrong. I'd never even heard of interrobang as a punctuation mark much less ellipsis.

I can't believe it!  Alexa informed me that an ellipsis is three dots to be used for these four things. I use it primarily for the "pause for effect" thing. I didn't even know I was using it correctly... at least I think I was using it correctly. 

I love the ellipsis and now I know it's a real thing.

Doug of ApacheDug's Teepee mentions at the end of his October 31st post that I also like "Sigh." 

I don't know why... sigh... I just do.


21 comments:

  1. My new favorite word has got to be interrobang, I love the question exclamation mark combo! Kay I think you're quite good at adding emotion to your words, and I've always seen your sighs as humorous exasperations. Thanks for the shout out to my own little blog... I--I think I'm going to start adding stammers to my own content, I'm quite fond of them. 👍😉

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  2. I stopped doing "Question of the Day" via Alexa but I have an app on my phone that has two questions of the day, assuming I make it past the first question with a correct answer. Just last week it asked me what a question mark/exclamation point was and I correctly got it right, by just thinking interrobang sounded plausible. Despite getting the correct answer, I doubt I will ever use interrobang in a sentence outside of responding to this blog post.

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  3. Never heard of interrobang. Is it this?! or this!?
    Volcano affecting you?

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    1. Sorry. Looked back at your post and see it's a combination. Now where is that on the keyboard¡™£¢∞§¶•ªº–≠÷≥≤µ˜∫√ç≈Ωåß∂ƒ©˙∆˚¬…æ«‘“πøˆ¨¥†®´∑œ. Not on mine that I can find.

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    2. No, thank you for asking. Mauna Loa is on the Big Island and I am on Oahu. However, eventually... if that volcano doesn't stop erupting, we could get hit by VOG which is no fun.

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  4. I knew ellipsis and its uses, but interrobang is a new one for me, although it makes perfect sense -- interrogative? with a bang!

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  5. Did not know that. Guess I am never too old to learn. I use three dashes a lot --- kind of like people use three dots and I too am a fan of "sigh".

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  6. Interrobang?! HA HA, I just did one.

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  7. Lin Floyd says now I know what the three dots stand for and are called...lol

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  8. Oh, how I chuckled when I saw your title for today's post...wait, there's more to come. Ellipsis is a term I teach to first graders, and then remind second graders. while reading books that often have this technique. They love that word and what it means. Two weeks ago a second grade girl raised her hand during the book I was reading, and pointed out the three dots on the page, before I turned it. "Wait, there's more." We especially love the ellipsis when it's the last punctuation on the last page of the book. Maybe, just maybe, another book will be written, or, better yet, we can think of other endings for the book. The kids love it. And I hope you do, too.

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  9. I missed that same question with the same response. (probably because I'd heard of the word ellipsis) I've been using them a lot (too much?) lately in my blogging too. Do I also sigh frequently? Lately, probably.

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  10. I too love those three dots... and probably use them too much. As for the other, I've probably used it, but never knew the name... interrobang.

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  11. Well, that sorts things out. You are making me look up ellipsis .

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  12. I like to use the ellipsis, and I frequently use a question mark followed by an exclamation mark, since there is no one mark for that, though apparently there is a name for it?!.

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  13. I use ellipses quite a lot for any of 2, 3 and 4, above.

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  14. I use the ellipses on a frequent basis.

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  15. I answered the same question. Literally had no idea but I went with interrobang. Just because it sounded like what it apparently looked like

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