exclamation question mark
Unicode: 2049
Description
A question mark followed by an exclamation mark, arranged vertically, forming a single interrobang punctuation mark.
Group:
Symbols > punctuation
Status:
unqualified
Emotion:
Represents confusion, surprise, or disbelief, often with an added emphasis of strong emotion like shock or excitement.
Backstory
The interrobang (‽) was invented in 1962 by Martin K. Speckter, then head of an advertising agency, who wanted a single punctuation mark to convey both a question and an exclamation. It was introduced in Unicode 6.0 (2010), but despite its inclusion, it remains a relatively niche punctuation mark in general use.
Usage Examples
- Expressing surprise and confusion: 'You actually did it‽'
- Conveying disbelief: 'He said what‽'
- In informal texts for a mix of questioning and emphasis: 'Wait, really‽'
- Reacting to an unexpected turn of events: 'This is insane‽'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Rarely used in formal writing, but gaining traction in informal digital communication to convey a mix of question and surprise.
East Asian culture:
Less commonly recognized or used compared to individual question and exclamation marks. Similar emotional intent is often conveyed by repeating those individual marks (e.g., '??!!').