What’s up with the interrobang‽ (?!)

theyuniversity:

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An interrobang is a cool—but nonstandard—punctuation.

This is what an interrobang looks like:

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Many people have asked whether ?! or !? is correct, undoubtedly because the Internet is rife with both forms.

The name interrobang (question mark + exclamation mark) suggests that “?!“ is correct. (It’s not called “banginterro,” in which case !? would be more logical.)

The interrobang is used in an emphatic rhetorical question, as seen in the following examples:

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Do NOT use interrobangs in formal writing, e.g., school essays or business letters. Your friends might think interrobangs are fun, but your teachers will find them informal.

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TIL: The interrobang was introduced by Martin Speckter, head of a New York advertising and PR agency, in 1962. (Source: Tenth Letter of the Alphabet)