Interrobang

Interrobang

Interrobang is a nonstandard punctuation mark that combines the functions of a question mark and an exclamation point, denoting a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. Its origin dates back to 1962 when American advertising executive Martin K. Speckter conceptualized it in an article in TYPEtalks magazine, arguing that advertisements would look better if copywriters conveyed surprised rhetorical questions using a single mark. The interrobang's graphical representation is a superimposition of ? and !, sharing the same point. Although it has not been universally adopted and incorporated into mainstream English orthography, the interrobang has gained traction in informal writing, online discourse, and in some modern fonts and typefaces. It encapsulates a writer's desire for both inquisitiveness and exclamation, mirroring the cadence of an incredulous or disbelieving tone that is common in spoken conversations.

punctuation, typography, orthography, nonstandard, rhetorical question

— John Armstrong