Exclamation mark

[pontios]

Should the exclamation mark be used to emphasise dialogue only?

Can you use it in non-dialogue text (say in the instances below)?
Their chances of escape were greatly increased by this tiny but invaluable tool!
He had goosebumps when he saw what she had brought back with her!

 

[nickel]

Why would you need the exclamation marks? The work should be done by 'greatly' or 'goosebumps'. Write your text so that it can be read with all the necessary emphasis (including exclamatory feelings) in your choice of words. The exclamation mark, like the question mark, should be used only where it shows change in how you say something.

But, Chris!


(I'm being dogmatic here because I think people use too many exclamation marks. Or they probably exclaim too often for my taste.)

 

[pontios]

Wow!
Thank you, nickel!
I really appreciate your help.
Good night from Australia, the south-east corner of the globe.

 

[pontios]

Καλημέρα.

Πώς θα πρέπει να τοποθετηθούνε τα θαυμαστικά (και τα άλλα σημεία στίξης) στην περίπτωση παρακάτω (εντός διαλόγου).
Χρησιμοποίησα εσκεμμένα μόνο κόμματα, τα οποία προφανώς θα πρέπει να αντικατασταθούν με τα κατάλληλα σημεία στίξης.

"James, James, our baby is alive, she is breathing, thank you, holy mother of God, Maria is alive, thank you, thank you."

 

[drsiebenmal]

Εμένα μου αρέσει και έτσι όπως είναι το κείμενο αυτό, πάντως. :) Θα πρέπει, βέβαια, να έχει και συναρπαστικά αγχώδη ρυθμό το περιβάλλον κείμενο...

Φυσικά, δεν θα με παραξένευε ούτε στην επόμενη μορφή:

James, James, our baby is alive. She is breathing. Thank you, holy mother of God. Maria is alive, thank you, thank you.

 

[Hellegennes]

Άσχετο με την ερώτηση, αλλά σχετικό με τα θαυμαστικά, στα κόμικς κάθε είδους χρησιμοποιούνται πάντα θαυμαστικά αντί για τελείες.

 

[pontios]

Thanks, guys.
What would happen in this instance (see the sentence that follows)?

"James, James, our baby is alive. She is breathing. Thank you, holy mother of God. Maria is alive, thank you, thank you." He was startled by his wife's screaming etc... (James' wife was screaming the above out).

Does that tip the scales (in favour of an exclamation mark or two - and if so, where would you place them)?

 

[drsiebenmal]

What would happen in this instance (see the sentence that follows)?

"James, James, our baby is alive. She is breathing. Thank you, holy mother of God. Maria is alive, thank you, thank you." He was startled by his wife's screaming etc... (James' wife was screaming the above out).

Does that tip the scales (in favour of an exclamation mark or two - and if so, where would you place them)?

Why would you need any exclamation marks at all? His wife is screaming...

 

[Earion]

I think exclamation marks are appropriately placed right after the names:

"James! James! Our baby is alive. She is breathing. Thank you, Holy Mother of God! Maria is alive, thank you, thank you". He was startled by his wife's screaming.

 

[nickel]

You might say there are two schools. I'm in favour of the former — Earion's version has too many exclamation marks for my taste: it's the difference between 'Nice to see you, Nick' and 'Nick! Nice to see you!'

There are also two schools concerning the apostrophe after James: James' wife or James's wife? I belong to the latter school. But we need an apostrophe thread for that.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1535_questionanswer/page25.shtml
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...re-in-a-muddle-over-apostrophe-s-1361189.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2008/05/30/st_james_apostrophe_feature.shtml

 

[pontios]

Thanks, guys.
This thread has been helpful; and in the name of harmony, I declare this thread closed.

Nickel wrote..
There are also two schools concerning the apostrophe after James: James' wife or James's wife?

Interesting! (but do you really want the apostrophe thread visited upon you?)
I prefer Chris's birthday to Chris' birthday, yet James' birthday to James's birthday, for some reason.
So I'm a possessive-apostrophe swinger. ;)