How do you know if you have a hostile punctuation

BBefore you write the punctuation a little more than a point, a line, or a combination of both, think about it: for a period can end a conversation or entire relationship. Too many question marks can make the buyer really ask them if they really want to continue to talk to you. Forgeting an exclamation point can be the wrong excitement.

As digital communication developed, the job description of punctuation signs became more challenging. “We have no context with spoken language,” says Anne Curzan, Professor of English, Linguistics and Education at the University of Michigan, from a text or loose message or the Slack message. “You don’t have facial expressions, you don’t have a tone, you don’t have a common context of a physical space and gestures.” Is the person you are talking about happy? Are they joking? Is it angry? Is it serious? “If you were face -to -face, you’ll have this binding that can solve it,” he says. “There is little in messaging – so the punctuation signs of young people, especially young people.”

This means that these small symbols have become tools used to capture the tone and facial expression with emojis and abbreviations such as “jk” and “lol”, not only clear. What You are trying to say but How You’re trying to say that. “We have to minimize uncertainty, because we will not be there to clarify,” Curzan says. “That’s why we have to do it right for the first time.”

Are you hostile to your group chat or loose channels ??? We asked the experts how to tell and how to correct it.

You use the periods you don’t need

The period told Andrew Albritton, an instructor in CT and Cyber ​​Security Department at Missouri State University. Research Digital Pintestigation Signs. “The standard way to end a sentence or declaration has become something that rubs people wrongly.” For example, imagine that you have sent the following message to a friend: “Sagittarius. I’m very happy for you.” Or, when you want you to meet at dinner in his favorite restaurant, “OK”. No one would be surprised if the buyers entered a wild goose chase to monitor the exclamation point that was clearly missing in your statement.

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Research proposes Neglecting the periods is a way that states that people feel comfortable – this means that suddenly quitting to a conversation can express anger or irritation. In another studyWhen people read the changes of text messages that ended or endless, they rated those less sincere than those who did not. One -word texts with periods Especially negatively perceived and sudden. “It is a bit flat compared to the point of exclamation, especially social enthusiasm, excitement and even friendship, Albriton says Albritton. And don’t. Equal. To obtain. Researchers Started Including a period after each word In a change: Although there is no grammar function, they are often used to transmit emotional intensity that may be worrying for recipients.

However, nuance is important in the punctuation point and Albritton found An important warning: In some cases, periods are used to transmit seriousness or seriousness. For example, university students with a finger above the exclamation point went to the periods while comforting their friends: ım I’m sorry for work. This will work. ” In such cases, the increasing sense of formality and seriousness will be appreciated by the person at the end, rather than interpreted as hostile.

You are connected to Elipses

Deborah Tannen, a distinguished professor at the Department of Linguistics at the University of Georgetown and the author of books, says that different generations prefer different punctuation signs, he says Parlance. Take one of the most misunderstood punctuation of all of them: ellipsis used to specify that a sentence is technically unfinished or to create a pause or voltage. “Old people tend to use three points to specify ‘open and open’. “Like, ‘You can guess the rest.’ Tannen, his father always remembers a student who sent the same short message:“ I love you… ”One day, the woman’s friend shouted:“ Your father should be angry with you! ” The woman objected: It was just her communication style.

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Nevertheless, no one knows exactly what the ellipse they receive means. These experts say the selection of punctuation that can make messages look uncertain or uncertain, mixing buyers and sometimes emerging as passive aggressive and rough. The sender, a dream leaves something that is not said, probably means not pleasant. Buyers are left to fill the gaps.

“Elipses is fascinating, Albrit says Albritton. “I often thought I had to do a study on them.” (TBD…) Although he does not necessarily interpret these small points as hostile, he says, “Using ellipse invites a certain gap of meaning and uncertainty in the recipient’s mind .. “If you want to be open, you may not want to do this.”

You use multiple question marks

If you expect a friend to meet you after work, you can send a simple message: “Where are you?” This point and polite; Curious but not impatient. But change things – “Where are you ????” – And your friend can make a beeline in the opposite direction instead of confronting your perceived wrath.

Albritton says, “Potentially, it conveys a sense of urgency that can be rude,” he says. “It demands someone to react quickly”, rather than just wondering, it will be rude and unnecessary aggressively. This is especially valid in work environments: in 2020 British professor He lost his concert as a dormitory supervisor to use too many questions, and a communication style that students complained about was “inappropriate” and “scary”. (A message was read: “Why don’t you stop ??????”) During the court case A judge, whom the professor claims to have been dismissed unjustly, described messages as “rude, blunt and unnecessary aggressive :: The use of multiple exclamation or question marks may change or affect how a recipient can perceive or affect the text message.

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Natalie Bidnick Andreas, a professor at the Department of Communication Research at the University of Texas in Austin, is not so fast to reveal a decision that focuses on digital rhetoric and communication. Multiple question marks sees in two ways: “First, someone is really deeply confused, this is understandable, or he says. “Secondly, they are trying to emphasize the importance of what they ask, but they abuse the question mark to make it easier.” If you are talking to the sending face to face, “You know if they just ask one question or if they ask a question. And You’re in trouble, ”he says.

If you are uncomfortable with the many question marks that someone sends you, Curzan suggests that you take a breath and not to make instant assumptions. Then ask them: “These question marks were a bit aggressive to me. Did you mean that?” He says, “Oh my God, no ‘,” he says. “Don’t assume you understand intention.”

Suddenly you change your punctuation style

If you often change digital messages with someone, when you say good morning, they always get used to your punctuation habits as it is with an exclamation point. If you suddenly change something and leave this sincere exclamation, the buyer will notice the people at the end. Bakan Whether it is punctuation or lost punctuation, it can be a trigger, A Andreas says. “[Recipients] Rather than the real logistics of what he says may focus on what the other person thinks or feels. “This can lead to rumination and disaster:“ So -and-So? ““ The only thing they did was to use a simple character and can make us spiral, or he says.

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Everyone takes advantage of open debates on punctuation and punctuation. Misinterpretation of your digital communication, be clear about your intentions: if you send E -Post with the students and say they feel like they are disturbing him, “Hey, I don’t feel sorry, you just know.” After all, words say more than punctuation.