too many exclamation points...it's plain rude!
By onlyprincess
@onlyprincess (782)
Philippines
February 20, 2010 7:49am CST
Hello Mylotters!
Did you ever get a response that has too many exclamation points? I got a response recently from a mylotter in one of my discussions. 3 exclamation points (!!!) to be exact, and placed in every sentence. I find it rude to post with too many exclamation points, not only here in mylot but also in writing, emails, text messages and such. For me, it's rude and unethical. It seems like you're angry and shouting the whole time. Nobody likes that. I noticed that this respondent is a newbie and I gave the benefit of doubt that he/she isn't familiar with the guidelines. But being a newbie isn't an excuse to violate rules right? I'm a newbie myself and I admit I didn't read the guidelines until I heard about it that there are rules to follow, but I didn't violate any of them because I'm aware of the right way to write and post.
So I replied to the respondent and told him/her that I don't appreciate receiving responses with too many exclamation points.
What would you do in this situation? Would you report it?
7 people like this
25 responses
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
20 Feb 10
To me it would depend on the context.
If it was in anger and meant to flame then I would talk back quietly to the user hoping that the situation would not get worse in which case I might then report but if it was to emphasise something humourous then I would not just have a laugh at it.
I don't get hot under the collar about many things on here
because I feel that myLot must be FUN!!! 
5 people like this
!! 
..
in this kind of dicussions, i lose all fun.
@kittenclaus (1393)
• United States
20 Feb 10
I have had many people who comment in my discussions use exclamation points and I've never thought twice about it. I, myself have used them. It only means that I'm excited about the sentence I just wrote so why would anyone have a problem with that? maybe you should stop harping on innocent things and understand that they are only trying to express themselves. It's easy when you're talking in person to someone to know when they are excited, more difficult to determine this in writing. And to think of reporting someone for this, sorry but that is just plain silly. Notive I didn't put an exclamation point at the end but I wanted too.
3 people like this
@May2k8 (18390)
• Indonesia
20 Feb 10
if they responded with a gentle and there are sentences that seem to reconcile the heart inside, it is not something that should be reported because it can be read in all places. Unless they use words that hurt other people then you could say it was rude.
3 people like this
@advokatku (4033)
• Indonesia
20 Feb 10
exclamation mark that's means affirmation wishes the author's , does not mean the writer is upset, angry or vent their emotions to you ... for me, that's not a problem, I am not matter how much worn exclamation points in a sentence, as long as his font size which use remains within normal limits
3 people like this
@cowboyofhell (3063)
• Philippines
20 Feb 10
These people remind me of women who shout loudly and their voice make my ears tear apart. This person who put triple exclamation marks may have translated the offense he received from another person so that another will understand what he just went through.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
20 Feb 10
hi only princess You can show anger or joy or other emotions and use three exclamation points and not be rude, but more than that is of
course against mylot rules. Ihave often done that and nobody so far
has accused me of being rude. I would not report that as many of us do that, do not get report happy, as some do on here. Just report things
that are really insulting or flaming.If the person you are talking about was really insulting then by all means report that person, but just for'using three exclamation points no I would not do that.
2 people like this
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
23 Feb 10
This is a discussion forum, so wouldn't it be proper etiquette to tell them of your displeasure instead of just reporting it? I would consider that somewhat cowardly.
I'm not sure if it is in the guidelines here, but still, it isn't a serious offence. In my books, the decent thing to do is to tell them.
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
23 Feb 10
Besides, I think of that as just someone who is loud, or extremely happy, or excited. I believe that is what it means, really. Try to be more positive.
1 person likes this
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
20 Feb 10
if you are really offended with a lot of punctuations in a response, you can report it. i think mylot admin still screen reports before they decide to remove a post or if will remain. but it's fine with me, i am not going to report it.
2 people like this
@sanjana_aslam (4187)
• Malaysia
20 Feb 10
i dont fnd that using exclamation is rude at all .. the person is only trying to stress his point, either you accept it or you dont .. just move on
there are many types of prople here in mylot and each has their own style, i like to use '~' and '.' in my discussions .. its just my style
your comment is like ~ i am vegetarian so i dont like you who eat chicken, and if you eat chicken in front of me, i will call you rude ...
we share the same world //
2 people like this
@marianna45 (1399)
• Romania
20 Feb 10
I believe that in our desire, otherwise legitimate, to start many discussions, and original, we started to be too critical, we blamed each other for all the rubble is just so rude to use someone more points exclamation?
For me, being rude, it is something more serious to offend or insult is more serious, just because someone has used more exclamation points, not even a crime in my acceptance. I think we will lose our personality, we will lose the points of view, if we connect all the rubble, let's be more creative, and less criticism, even if critical discussions usually receive the most responses. Rude is one word too hard.At least for me, maybe is better to be more tolerant.Maybe i am wrong, but this is my opinion.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Feb 10
Hi OP,
I am just curious to know about the line of response the person established when that comments were made with lots of exclamation point. she might not be angry but just her/his way expressing a point or a feeling. i will not report it. i am not comfortable doing it to mylotletrs. admin can always do it but not me.
if i am not comfortable with the discussion or not my line of interest, then i just leave it there and not make any response that to create a trouble or me feeling about about it.
we are here to enjoy and have fun friend not to check each other's grammar or be negative with our co-mylotters. we have different backgrounds, even in levels of english so it will help if we understand our friends here and try our best to express ouorselves well. no offense friend. i appreciate your observation.
Enjoy mylotting!1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
23 Feb 10
hi annie,
thanks for being in agreement with my comment. let's establish a healthy discussion and friendship here. it will be encourage both to express self and later on it will be a surprise that improvement in writing and speaking in english was established!
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
21 Feb 10
Well it worked, a lot of people are replying LOL !! (Notice Im only using 2 !! and thats only because you mentioned it. To be honest, I tend to use !! quite often and since its free and my finger is the type of finger that you could call "happy trigger" I tend to use every key on my keyboard and since we dont use !! that much, well I tend to use them often and I use a lot all together!!!!
Heres the definition:
A punctuation mark (!)used after an exclamation, also called exclamation mark. Used after an abrupt and emphatic statement or after a command: "Help!" he cried, after his boat floated toward the edge of Niagara Falls"
If you've ever been to Niagara Falls, you'll know that floating toward the edge in a boat will be very scaryyyyyyyyy and I would be yelling out "HELP" with a lot of !!!!!!!!!! at the end to make sure someone hears me.
It doesnt bother me at all if people use a lot of exclamation mark or any other, as long as its not a finger!!!
1 person likes this
@louisefrank (356)
•
21 Feb 10
I used to work for a newspaper and was told that exclamation points were like laughing at your own joke. I don't know if I ought to say what the printers called them - suffice it to say that the phrase referred to a certain part of a dog's body! (I think that sentence deserved an exclamation point.)
I don't mind them in moderation but more than one is definitely overkill and ninety-nine per cent of the time they are unnecessary. I'm not sure I personally would have bothered to reply to your respondent but if anything really annoys you, it's probably best to point it out rather than sit there grinding your teeth down to stumps.
1 person likes this
@str8_up_cutie83 (217)
• United States
21 Feb 10
I would not find that 3 exclamation points are unethical or rude unless the sentence that they are with is a derogatory one. Usually when a person is angry, to convey that in a text or email they type in all caps. Me personally I use exclamations alot especially when I am joking. But you never know what the next person finds offensive. Hopefully the person you are referring will be more careful next time. Happy mylotting!
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
21 Feb 10
Well I think that it doesn't really matter. Don't forget that exclamation points are also there to describe happiness or excitement. So while one sentence could be, I really hated that ride! another could be, that was totally awesome! see how there's a difference?
I hardly notice the explanation points really, and so I may sometimes put too many in a response, but no one's ever complained to me about it, so if so I suppose they either didn't notice or it made no difference to them.
Even so, to each their own I have my own peculiarities when it comes to grammar!
1 person likes this
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
21 Feb 10
Of course I wouldn't report it. What's to report? I am going to have to go back and re-read the rules again because I have never noticed any that suggest that the overuse of a punctuation mark constitutes a violation. If you could see "speech bubbles" coming out of peoples heads when they talk I would think that most lively and interesting discussions would have loads of exclamation marks.
1 person likes this
@chrystaltears (3392)
• United States
21 Feb 10
Heck no. I wouldn't report it. I'd leave it to someone else to do that. I'm like Ellen I don't like to rain on anyone's parade. There are enough people who it doesn't bother and they take care of things like that.
@bystander (2292)
• Philippines
21 Feb 10
that's what discussions are for, onlyprincess. we get as varied a response as possible, on different planes of emotion, to boot. or maybe, the mylotter simply loves putting in the exclamation point to drive home his message. for others, like you, it may be rude. like using allcaps in text messages, many people find that rude or domineering. for me, it's the message that counts... i don't belabor the message by trying to put meanings in every character i see, even spacing... i hope, the three dots don't imply anything... it's just me pausing for breath...
@atv818 (1980)
• United Arab Emirates
21 Feb 10
Don't get offended. Maybe that person is just extremely excited or emotional about the topic. You have to respect the opinions and feelings. Bottomline, your topic had touched a string of emotions in them and had given you their time by responding to our insights. Be grateful. If you are not that important, I wouldn't waste my time on you either, with or without financial reward. I sometimes do that too. I hope you were not referring to me. Peace!!!
1 person likes this
