"Pling" redirects here. For the Swedish lyricist nicknamed Pling, seeIngela Forsman.
!
Exclamation mark
Unicode:U+0021!EXCLAMATION MARK
See also
U+00A1¡INVERTED EXCLAMATION MARK
Theexclamation mark! (also known asexclamation point inAmerican English) is apunctuation mark usually used after aninterjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or to showemphasis. The exclamation mark often marks the end of a sentence. For example: "Watch out!". Similarly, a bare exclamation mark (with nothing before or after) is frequently used inwarning signs. Additionally, the exclamation mark is commonly used in writing to make a character seem as though they are shouting, excited, or surprised.
The exclamation mark likely came from the wordio, which was used to express joy. Over time, writers made a set of changes that madeio become the exclamation mark. The writer Iacopo Alpoleio da Urbisaglia created the exclamation mark since he was frustrated when readers did not read text with emotion when the text was supposed to have it.
Several computer languages use! at the beginning of anexpression to denote logicalnegation. For example,!A means "the logical negation of A", also called "not A". This usage has spread to ordinary language (e.g., "!clue" means no-clue or clueless).
Some languages useǃ, a symbol that looks like an exclamation mark, to denote aclick consonant.
Linguists (people who study language) suggest that the exclamation mark comes from aLatin exclamation of joy, namelyio,[a][b] which is similar to "hooray".[2][3][4][c] Writers would writeio at the end of sentences to express joy.[3][4] Gradually, these writers made a set of changes toio, such as placing the "i" above the "o", removing the dot from the "i", and making the "o" smaller until it turned into a dot.[2][3][4] This set of changes turnedio into the exclamation mark.[2][3][4]
Linguists find the exclamation mark's use aspunctuation to come from the middle of the 14th century during theItalian Renaissance, when the writer Iacopo Alpoleio da Urbisaglia made it.[5][6][7] The linguist Florence Hazrat says he "felt very annoyed" that people read text with no emotion, when the text was meant to have it, this led him to create the exclamation mark.[8][9][10] His early exclamation mark resembled the modern one, it consisted of aperiod with anapostrophe above it.[8][9][10] It was used to express emotions such as admiration and surprise.[6][8] In his treatise, he named it thepunctus admirativus/exclamativus, although this name fell out of use.[3][6]
The exclamation mark was first used by the writerColuccio Salutati in the early 15th century, which led to its frequent usage.[3][8] Shortly after, English printers (people who operate printing presses) began to use the exclamation mark in their printing to emphasize sentences.[9][11] Over time, the exclamation mark has been called many names, includingpoint of admiration or exclamation,[6][10][12][d]note of admiration or exclamation,[7][13][14]sign of admiration or exclamation,[15][e]exclamation point,[6][14][f] andexclamation mark.[2][16]
Older or portabletypewriters often lacked the exclamation mark, so to replicate it users typed a period, backspaced, and then typed an apostrophe.[9][10][11]
Now obsolete, the nameecphoneme was documented in the early 20th century.[17]
In the 1950s, secretarial dictation and typesetting manuals in America referred to the mark as "bang",[18][19][20] perhaps from comic books – where the ! appeared in dialogue bubbles to represent a gun being fired,[21] although the nickname probably emerged from letterpress printing.[22] This "bang" usage is behind the names of theinterrobang, an unconventional typographic character, and theshebang, a feature ofUnix computer systems.[18]
In the printing world, the exclamation mark can be called a screamer, a gasper, a slammer, a dog's cock, or a startler.[18][23]
Inhacker culture, the exclamation mark is called "bang", "shriek", or, in the British slang known as Commonwealth Hackish, "pling".[24] For example, the password communicated in the spoken phrase "Your password is em-zero-pee-aitch-bang-en-three" ("em-nought-pee-aitch-pling-en-three" in Commonwealth Hackish) ism0ph!n3.[24]
The exclamation mark is mainly used in languages that use theLatin alphabet, although usage slightly varies. It has also been adopted in languages written in other scripts, such as languages written withCyrillic orArabic scripts,Chinese characters, andDevanagari.
A sentence ending in an exclamation mark may represent anexclamation or aninterjection (such as "Wow!", "Boo!"), or animperative ("Stop!"), or may indicate astonishment or surprise: "They were the footprints of a gigantic hound!" Exclamation marks are occasionally placed mid-sentence with a function similar to a comma, for dramatic effect, although this usage is obsolete: "On the walk, oh! there was a frightful noise."[25]
Informally, exclamation marks may be repeated for additional emphasis ("That's great!!!"), but this practice is generally considered unacceptable in formal prose.[26]
The exclamation mark is sometimes used in conjunction with thequestion mark. This can be in protest or astonishment ("Out of all places, the squatter-camp?!"); a few writers replace this with a single, unconventional punctuation mark, theinterrobang, which is the combination of a question mark and an exclamation mark.[27]
Overly frequent use of the exclamation mark is generally considered poor writing, as it distracts the reader and decreases the mark's significance.[28][29]
Cut out all these exclamation points... An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.
Some authors, most notablyTom Wolfe, are known for their unashamedly liberal use of the exclamation mark. Incomic books, the very frequent use of exclamation marks is common—seeComics, below.[8]
For information on the use of spaces after an exclamation mark, see the discussion ofspacing after a period.
Several studies have shown that women use exclamation marks more than men do. One study suggests that, in addition to other uses, exclamation marks may also function as markers of friendly interaction, for example, by making "Hi!" or "Good luck!" seem friendlier than simply "Hi." or "Good luck." (with periods).[31] However, use of exclamation marks in contexts that are not unambiguously positive can be misinterpreted as indicating hostility.[31]
InEnglish writing and oftensubtitles, a(!) symbol (an exclamation mark withinparentheses) implies that a character has made an obviouslysarcastic comment e.g.: "Ooh, a sarcasm detector. That's areally useful invention(!)"[32] It is also used to indicate surprise at one's own experience or statement.
InFrench, as well as marking exclamations or indicating astonishment, the exclamation mark is commonly used to mark orders or requests:Viens ici ! (English: 'Come here!'). When available, a'narrow no-break space' (espace fine insécable) is used between the last word and the exclamation mark in European French. If not, a regularnon-breaking space (espace insécable) is currently used. InCanadian French, either no space is used or a small space (espace fine insécable) is inserted if available. One can also combine an exclamation mark with a question mark at the end of a sentence where appropriate.
German uses the exclamation mark for several things that English conveys with otherpunctuation:[33][34]
It is used at the end ofimperative sentences, even when not particularly emphatic:Ruf mich morgen an! (English: 'Call me tomorrow.') A normal period, as in English, is fairly common but is considered substandard.
A related use is on signs that express a command or interdiction:Betreten verboten! (English: 'No trespassing!').
The exclamation mark may also be used in the salutation line of a letter:Lieber Hans! (English: 'Dear Hans,'), especially inAustrian German. However, the use of acomma is equally correct and is more common.
Cantonese has not historically used dedicated punctuation marks, rather relying on grammatical markers to denote the end of a statement. Usage of exclamation marks is common in writtenMandarin and in someYue speaking regions.[35] TheCanton andHong Kong regions, however, generally refused to accept the exclamation mark as it was seen as carrying with it unnecessary and confusing Western connotations. However, an exclamation mark, including in some written representations of colloquy inCantonese, can be used informally to indicate strong feelings.
InModern Greek, the exclamation mark (Θαυμαστικό,thavmastikó) has been introduced fromLatin scripts and is used identically, although without the reluctance seen inEnglish usage.[36] A minor grammatical difference is that, while a series of interjections each employ an exclamation mark (e.g.,Ωχ! Αχ!, [Ōch! Ach!, 'Oops! Oh!']), an interjection should only be separated from an extended exclamation by a comma (e.g.,Ωχ, ξέχασα το μάτι της κουζίνας ανοιχτό!,Ōch, xéchasa to máti tīs kouzínas anoichtó!, 'Oops! I left the stove on.').
InHungarian, an exclamation mark is put at the end of exclamatory, imperative or prohibitive sentences, and sentences expressing a wish (e.g.De szép! – 'How beautiful!',A fűre lépni tilos! – 'Keep off the grass',Bárcsak sikerülne a tervem! – 'If only my plan would work out.'). The use of the exclamation mark is also needed when addressing someone and the addressing is a separate sentence. (typically at the beginning of letters, e.g.Kedves Péter! – 'Dear Peter,').[37] Greetings are also typically terminated with an exclamation mark (e.g.Jó estét! – 'Good evening.').
Trilingual billboard inBarcelona (detail), showing the initial exclamation mark for Spanish, but not forCatalan (top line) and English
InSpanish, a sentence or clause ending in an exclamation mark must also begin with aninverted exclamation mark (the same also applies to the question mark):¿Estás loco? ¡Casi la matas!, 'Are you crazy? You almost killed her!'[8]
As inBritish English, a bracketed exclamation mark may be used to indicate irony or surprise at a statement:Dice que esta noche no va a salir de fiesta (!), 'He said that he's not going to a party tonight(!).' Such use is not matched by an inverted opening exclamation mark.[39]
InTurkish, an exclamation mark is used after a sentence or phrase foremphasis, and is common following both commands and the addressees of such commands. For example, in theOrdular! İlk hedefiniz Akdenizdir, ileri! ('Armies! Your first target is the Mediterranean') order byAtatürk,ordular ('the armies') constitute the addressee. It is further used in parentheses,(!), after a sentence or phrase to indicateirony orsarcasm:Çok iyi bir iş yaptın (!), 'You've done a very good job –Not!'.[40]
InLimbu, an exclamation mark (᥄) is used after a Limbu sentence or phrase foremphasis, and is common following both commands and the addressees of such commands. For example, in the Limbu sentenceᤐᤚᤢ᥄ ᤄᤨᤘᤑ ᤂᤥᤆᤌᤙ Mediterranean, ᤚᤦᤛᤅ᥄ (Paṡu! Ghōwapha khōcathaśa Mediterranean, ṡausaṅa!, 'Armies! Your first target is theMediterranean!').
It is further used in parentheses, (᥄), after a sentence or phrase to indicateirony orsarcasm:ᤖᤥᤂᤌ ᤔᤚᤗ ᤐᤤ ᤊᤇ ᤃᤦᤄ (᥄) (Rōkhatha maṡala pai yancha gaugha (!), 'You did a very good job —Not!').[41]
InKhoisan languages, and theInternational Phonetic Alphabet, a symbol that looks like the exclamation mark is used as a letter to indicate thepostalveolar click sound (represented asq inZulu orthography). It is actually a vertical bar with underdot. InUnicode, this letter is properly coded asU+01C3ǃLATIN LETTER RETROFLEX CLICK and distinguished from the common punctuation symbolU+0021!EXCLAMATION MARK to allow software to deal properly with word breaks.
The exclamation mark has sometimes been used as aphonetic symbol to indicate that a consonant isejective. More commonly, this is represented by anapostrophe, or asuperscriptglottal stop symbol (U+02C0ˀMODIFIER LETTER GLOTTAL STOP).
A hazardwarning sign with an exclamation mark.New Zealand road sign warning of a "cattle stop" (cattle grid/cattle guard)
Exclamation marks are used to emphasize aprecautionary statement. Onwarning signs, an exclamation mark is often used to draw attention to a warning of danger, hazards, and the unexpected.[8] These signs are common in hazardous environments or on potentially dangerous equipment. A common type of this warning is a yellowtriangle with a black exclamation mark, but a white triangle, with a red border is common onEuropeanroad warning signs. (In most cases, a pictogram indicating the nature of the hazard is enclosed in the triangle but an exclamation mark may be used instead as a generic symbol; a plate beneath identifies the hazard.)
Incomputing, the exclamation mark isASCIIcharacter 33 (21 inhexadecimal). Due to its availability even on early computers, the character was used for many purposes. The name given to "!" by programmers varies according to their background, though it was very common to give it a short name to make reading code aloud easier. "Bang" is very popular.[54]: 55 In the UK, the termpling was popular in the earlier days of computing, whilst in the United States, the termshriek was used. It is claimed that these word usages were invented in the US andshriek is fromStanford orMIT; however,shriek for the ! sign is found in theOxford English Dictionary dating from the 1860s.
Many computer languages usingC-style syntax use "!" forlogical negation;!A means "not A", andA != B means "A isnot equal to B". This negation principle has spread to ordinary language; for example, the word "!clue" is used as a synonym for "no-clue" or "clueless".[54]: 18[55] The symbol in formal logic fornegation is¬ but, as this symbol is not present as standard on most keyboards, the C convention has spread informally to other contexts.
Earlye-mail systems also used the exclamation mark as a separator character between hostnames for routing information, usually referred to as "bang path" notation.
In theIRC protocol, a user's nickname andident are separated by an exclamation mark in thehostmask assigned to him or her by the server.
InUNIX scripting (typically forUNIX shell orPerl), "!" is usually used after a "#" in the first line of a script, theinterpreter directive, to tell the OS what program to use to run the script.#! is usually called a "hash-bang" orshebang. A similar convention forPostScript files calls for the first line to begin with%!, called "percent-bang".[56]
An exclamation mark startshistory expansions in manyUnix shells such asbash andtcsh where!! executes the previous command and!* refers to all the arguments from the previous command.
AcornRISC OS uses filenames starting with pling to create anapplication directory: for instance, a file called!Run is executed when the folder containing it is double-clicked (holding down shift prevents this). There is also!Boot (executed the first time the application containing it comes into view of the filer),!Sprites (icons),!Help, and others.
InAPL,!x is used for thefactorial of x (backwards from math notation), and also for thebinomial coefficient:k!n means orn!⁄k!(n–k)!.
BCPL, the precursor ofC, used "!" for pointer and array indirection:!P is equivalent to*P in C, andP!3 is equivalent toP[3] in C.
In theXbase family of programming languages, which includesdBase andFoxPro, an exclamation mark, when used as part of an expression, indicates negation. For example, != means "not equal to". At the start of a line of code, it is a synonym for RUN (which executes an external program).[58][59]
In theHaskell programming language, "!" is used to express strictness.
In theKotlin programming language, "!!" ("double-bang") is the not-null assertion operator, used to overridenull safety so as to allow anull pointer exception.[60]
In theML programming language (includingStandard ML andOCaml), "!" is the operator to get the value out of a "reference" data structure.
In theRaku programming language, the "!"twigil is used to access private attributes or methods in a class (likeclassPerson {has$!name; } orself!private-method;).[61]
In theScheme,[62]Julia,[63] andRuby programming languages, "!" is conventionally the suffix for functions and special forms that mutate their input.
In theSwift programming language, a type followed by "!" denotes an "implicitly unwrapped optional", anoption type where the compiler does not enforce safe unwrapping. The "!" operator "force unwraps" an option type, causing an error if it is nil.
InGeek Code version 3, "!" is used before a letter to denote that the geek refuses to participate in the topic at hand. In some cases, it has an alternate meaning, such asG! denoting a geek of no qualifications,!d denoting not wearing any clothes,P! denoting not being allowed to use Perl, and so on. They all share some negative connotations, however.
! is used to denote changed lines indiff output in thecontext format. In theunified format, changes to a single line are denoted as an addition and deletion.
The exclamation mark can be used in video games to signify that a character is startled or alarmed. In theMetal Gear andPaper Mario series, an exclamation mark appears over enemies' heads when they notice the player.
Inmassively multiplayer online (MMO) games such asWorld of Warcraft, an exclamation mark hovering over a character's head is often used to indicate that they are offering a quest for the player to complete.
InDota 2, an exclamation mark is shown above the head of a unit if it is killed by means not granting enemies experience or gold (if it is "denied").
In the 2005 arcade dance simulation gameIn the Groove 2, there is a song titled "!" (also referred to as "bang") by the artist Onyx.
InInternet culture, especially whereleet is used, multiple exclamation marks may be affixed with the numeral "1", as in!!!!!!111. The notation originates from a common error: when typing multiple exclamation points quickly, the typist may fail to hold the⇧Shift1 combination that produces the exclamation mark on manykeyboard layouts. This error, first used intentionally as a joke in the leet linguistic community, is now an accepted form of exclamation in leet and derivative dialects such asLolspeak.[64] Some utterances include further substitutions, for example "!!!111oneeleven".[65][66]
Infandom andfanfiction, ! is used to signify a defining quality in a character, usually signifying an alternative interpretation of a character from acanonical work. Examples of this would be "Romantic!Draco" or "Vampire!Harry" from theHarry Potter fandom. It is also used to clarify the current persona of a character with multiple identities or appearances, such as to distinguish "Armor!Al" from "Human!Al" in a work based onFullmetal Alchemist. The origin of this usage is unknown, although it is hypothesized to have originated with certainTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures; for example, "Football Player! Leonardo", "Rockstar! Raphael", and "Breakdancer! Michelangelo".[67][68]
ThisAction Comics cover from 1959 ends every sentence with an exclamation point orquestion mark. Often, few or noperiods would be used in the entire book.
Somecomic books, especiallysuperhero comics of the mid-20th century, routinely use the exclamation point instead of the period,[8] which means the character has just realized something; unlike when the question mark appears instead, which means the character is confused, surprised or they do not know what is happening. This tends to lead to exaggerated speech, in line with the otherhyperboles common in comic books. A portion of the motivation, however, was simply that a period might disappear in the printing process used at the time, whereas an exclamation point would likely remain recognizable even if there was a printing glitch. For a short period,Stan Lee, aseditor-in-chief ofMarvel Comics, attempted to curb their overuse by a short-lived ban on exclamation marks altogether, which led to an inadvertent lack of ending punctuation in many sentences.[69]
Comic book writerElliot S! Maggin once accidentally signed his name with an exclamation due to the habit of using them when writing comic scripts; it became his professional name from then on.[70][71] Similarly, comic artistScott Shaw! has used the exclamation point after his name throughout his career.
In comic books and comics in general, a large exclamation point is often used near or over a character's head to indicate surprise. Aquestion mark can similarly be used to indicate confusion.
Inchess notation,"!" denotes a good move,"!!" denotes an excellent move, "?!" denotes a dubious move, and "!?" denotes an interesting, risky move. In some chess variants, such as large-boardShogi variants, "!" is used to record pieces captured by stationary feeding or burning.
The band!!! (pronounced "Chk Chk Chk") uses exclamation points as its name.[73]
In 2008, the pop-punk bandPanic! at the Disco dropped the exclamation point in its name; this became the "most-discussed topic on [fan] message boards around the world".[74] In 2009, the exclamation mark was re-inserted following the band's split.[75]
American musicianPink stylizes her stage name "P!NK",[76] and uses three exclamation points in the subtitle of her 2010 release,Greatest Hits... So Far!!!.[77]
The exclamation mark was included in the title ofDinah Shore's TV series,Dinah! The exclamation mark was later the subject of a bitter argument betweenElaine Benes and her boyfriend, Jake Jarmel, in theSeinfeld episode, "The Sniffing Accountant". Elaine got upset with Jake for not putting an exclamation mark at the end of a message about her friend having a baby. Jake took extreme exception to the trivial criticism and broke up with Elaine, putting an exclamation mark after his parting words: "I'm leaving!"[78]
^Linguists disagree on the translation of this Latin exclamation, with some suggesting the correct translation is "joy".[3][4]
^It was also referred to as the point of detestation.[12]
^Historically, writers made a distinction between the names "note/sign of admiration" and "note/sign of exclamation".[3] They used these names to convey admiration and exclamation respectively.[3] However, these writers deemed this distinction unnecessary and it fell out of use during the 18th century.[3]
^The name "exclamation point" is commonly used in theUnited States, creating a regional distinction from "exclamation mark" which is used in other regions.[2]
^HTML5 is the only version of HTML that has a named entity for the exclamation mark.[79][80]
^MacKellar, Thomas (1889).The American Printer: A Manual of Typography, Containing Practical Directions for Managing all Departments of a Printing Office, As Well as Complete Instructions for Apprentices: With Several Useful Tables, Numerous Schemes for Imposing Forms in Every Variety, Hints to Authors, Etc (Seventeenth ed.). Philadelphia:MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan. p. 65.
^Frank H. Vizetelly (1913).The Preparation of Manuscripts for the Printer (5th revised ed.).Funk & Wagnalls. p. 51.The note of exclamation or ecphoneme is used after a word or phrase to express sudden emotion, and is sometimes repeated for emphasis.
^Haley, Allan (March 2008)."Punctuation". Archived fromthe original on March 13, 2012. RetrievedOctober 19, 2011.
^Truss (2004), p. 136: "Everyone knows the exclamation mark – or exclamation point, as it is known in America. It comes at the end of a sentence, is unignorable and hopelessly heavy-handed, and is known in the newspaper world as a screamer, a gasper, a startler or (sorry) a dog's cock."
^Poe, Edgar Allen."The Tell-Tale Heart".The Edgar Allen Poe Society of Baltimore. Archived fromthe original on November 23, 2017. RetrievedJune 5, 2010."Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! — tear up the planks! — here, here! — it is the beating of his hideous heart!"
^"Effective use of email".E-strategy guide. Government of Australia, Dept. of Broadband. January 23, 2008. Archived fromthe original on September 29, 2009. RetrievedJuly 15, 2007.
^Gleckler, Arthur."The Jargon File".Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. RetrievedDecember 7, 2011.
^"Reuters Handbook of Journalism"(PDF). April 2008. p. 113. RetrievedApril 22, 2025.Eliminate exclamation points from company names, such as Yahoo! and Yum!.
^"Johnson: When is a rule not a rule?".The Economist. October 1, 2013. RetrievedApril 22, 2025.a category of style choices at The Economist that includes ... stripping Yahoo and Yum Brands of the exclamation points they would have us use in their names
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