(Draft) 16 Weird and Wacky Punctuation Marks

16 Weird and Wacky Punctuation Marks

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Interrobang (‽)

Ever been so shocked that your question turns into an exclamation? That's exactly what the interrobang is for! This quirky little punctuation mark combines the question mark and exclamation point into one efficient symbol. Born in the 1960s (making it a baby in punctuation years), the interrobang was created by advertising executive Martin K. Speckter who was tired of writing "?!" when his ads needed to convey excited questioning. Think about how often you type "What?!" or "Really?!" in your texts. The interrobang was made for these moments of questioning surprise. Though it never quite caught on in mainstream writing, it enjoys a cult following among punctuation enthusiasts. Yes, those exist!

Next time you're shocked and questioning at the same time, why not throw in an interrobang ‽ It's like the punctuation equivalent of raising one eyebrow while gasping.

Percontation Point (...)

Sarcasm in writing is notoriously difficult to convey. How many times have you sent a sarcastic text only for someone to take it seriously? Enter the percontation point, also known as the irony mark. This backwards question mark was proposed centuries ago to help readers understand when a writer is being sarcastic or ironic. Imagine how useful this would be! "I just love when my phone dies in the middle of an important call..." See? Crystal clear sarcasm.

Though it never gained widespread adoption, the digital age of texting and social media has some folks calling for its revival. Because honestly, who hasn't had a sarcastic comment completely misinterpreted online? So the next time you're being cheeky in writing, perhaps this forgotten punctuation mark deserves a comeback. Your friends might thank you for the clarity.

Pilcrow (¶)

The pilcrow might look like a backwards 'P' that got a little fancy with its leg, but this dapper mark has been organizing text since medieval times! Originally used to indicate a new train of thought or paragraph, scribes would add these decorative marks to help readers navigate through dense text. Think of it as the original paragraph emoji.

Which punctuation mark would be most useful in your daily communications?

Percontation point for sarcasm
Pilcrow for better text organization
Both would be equally useful

Today, you'll mostly spot the pilcrow hiding in word processors when you click the "show formatting" button. Surprise! They've been there all along, secretly organizing your documents. Typography nerds still have a soft spot for this character, and some writers use it as a decorative element or section break. The pilcrow proves that even punctuation can have staying power – it's been helping organize writing for over 700 years. Not bad for a squiggly mark that looks like it's doing a little dance!