I used to think that "...!" was the dumbest way to punctuate a sentence, with no real

[Slurpee]

indicator of what it actually means. Whereas "!?" would typically imply impassioned confusion or demanding questioning, and "...?" seems to indicate letting a question hang with uncertainty, "...!" just seemed to be nonsense.

Lately, though, I've come to recognize it as indicative of insecure hostility- as though the force in the sentence were mistakenly placed after the person speaking ceased talking, due to a lack of real confidence in what they'd intended to be forceful words.

While difficult to express aloud, and not of much use in academic writing, in fiction, I think it could be an effective tool. But I'm not sure if I'm right about it.


Readers and writers of the Clock Crew, would you generally agree with this assessment, and by that I mean, if you saw a sentence punctuated with "...!" would you take that to mean the person speaking was stumbling in machismo?

[PirateClock]

it could be a state of shock like saying something like: hitler had pretty good idea's....!    

and then reacting to your own statement.

[Topcatyo]

it could be a state of shock like saying something like: hitler had pretty good idea's....!    

and then reacting to your own statement.

This sounds quite nice too.
I always kinda assumed a person was shouting something, but was rambling and said nothing of meaning, and that was a way to show it without taking up an entire paragraph and wasting the reader's time.

[Sombra]

I like both Slurp's and Pirate's ideas, perhaps I'll start using this trend in my writing.

And a lot of well-known writers don't really follow the textbook rules of grammar... it's part of how they gain their style. Although in the past I've been sort of a pedant myself in that sense, maybe it's time to change it up a bit.

[SnakeClock]

The use of the delayed exclamation seems to have a use as to what Slurpee said, but I think it also could be used to indicate eventual surprise or realization, similar to CorpseGrinder's sentence.

"But Doctor! If these tests are correct, then that means...!"

Then again, in that instance, it's difficult to tell whether the ellipse is meant to trail off the sentence or delay the shock. Here is a more effective use:

"But Doctor! Do you know what this means?" "...!"

[Sombra]

"But Doctor! If these tests are correct, then that means...!"

What I would get from this sentence is that it is both emotionally charged and that he is leaving it to hang in the air, waiting for the doctor to respond.

[GodClock]

yeah, i think it works as a delayed surprised reaction, just as "...?" works for a delayed confusion