In Defense of the ?

Your comments, thoughts, suggestions, issues, and insight are always welcome. Please feel free to reply to any of my posts.

Another sad trend in grammar/punctuation/spelling that has inundated social media sites is the abuse, misuse, and absence entirely of our cute ?

In the image above, we know that both sentences need a ? after them. Just because you ask in a loud voice doesn't make it an exclamation. We used to do the ?! until somebody said enough is enough and that helpful bit of clarity went bye-bye.

And, no, I don't care one fig what APS has to say about it, either.

It is just too much effort to select both the SHIFT and ? keys.

The bottom line is this: lazy.

Lazy people do lazy things, and it usually shows up in their writing as well as their bedroom, or their house in general.

To my way of thinking (and seeing), this is the equivalent of walking into someone's home and seeing dirty dishes piled high in the sink, dust bunnies tumbling along the hardwood floors, used clothing scattered thither and yon, and the distinct odor of  Febreze permeating my nostrils.

Logically, a question asks something that requires an answer. It's just that simple. And, yet . . .

do you want me to guess, or not?

are you asking or telling?

Maybe it was too hard to use it twice?

Are these statements of fact, thoughts that need sharing, or honest-to-goodness questions that need or deserve answers?

My guess is that this is the result of phone texting. Most everyone (but me) uses a phone to get things done today, and maybe those phones make it extra, super, really difficult to locate and press the question mark?

Poor question mark.

run-on sentence with no end in sight

This might be an inane comparison, but how many math nerds have you heard being slandered, put down, or sneered at for being good at math? We like them, don't we? They are smart and therefore to be admired, not scoffed at. Yet, along comes someone with a little grammar knowledge and look out!

the monotone statement/question

Do students take it upon themselves to click their tongues and make that sour face when their teacher tries to teach them about grammar? Would anyone in a math class get ticked off at the teacher for showing them how geometry or algebra works?

Are you going to argue with the first-string violinist as she shows us how to play the violin?

Okay, you might say Math is an exact science and cannot be disputed while grammar tends to sway and change like the wind.

Poppycock.

? first, then a ! would have read much better

Why is it okay to be lazy about grammar but not lazy about, say, quantum physics or architecture? It is fine to write a complete manuscript in lower case minus any punctuation, but it is not alright and frowned upon to flunk a math quiz . . . because we ALL know how important math is, right? Even if you're not a CPA or a scientist, we all use math every single day of our lives, don't we?

they like quote marks but not question marks?

We use our math skills at least as much or as often as we use our writing skills to communicate, right?

Right. Neither have I. Not since my last math class, which was nearly three years ago, have I had the occasion to use or need algebra. I learned how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in the third grade, and that is basically ALL I ever needed.

can't be bothered to capitalize, either

I actually refuse to join any Facebook 'groups' that abuse proper grammar in their titles, (titles: capitalize words aside from conjunctions), like readers Are The best, or We love books, etc. And, THE SCREAMING CAPS WITH !!!! after them.

they used an erroneous comma, and an erroneous ?

and, why are Beer Belly, Dick, and Wife capitalized?

A few nights ago I perused the free kindle novels in the romance section, and it is a habit of mine to scroll down and read the reviews. Free anything sends up warning signals to be very wary of the purchase unless there is enough proof you are not going to be disappointed.

It struck me as both odd and amazing the amount of backlash a writer receives for not knowing grammar basics prior to uploading a manuscript. And, as 'they' say, piss off your readers and you can kiss them goodbye.

Am I to be led to believe that in novel form it is imperative but for all else it isn't?

So, if this is actually the case, then what is the big deal with wanting or even needing to see the proper use of grammar/spelling/punctuation in any form of writing?

I appreciate the reviewers who warn me that the author doesn't know how to spell, misuses or abuses punctuation, and hasn't got much of a clue about English in general. Whew! Saves me the trouble of finding out on my own and ending up in angry tears over it.

Assuming this is, indeed, a question, then my answer is yes. Yes, I do love it when I find atrocious memes on my FB wall because it creates the opportunity for me to correct them -- and I do laugh when they get 'mad' about it, too.

On the receiving end of this statement/question/run-on sentence: it upsets me when others are permitted to point out my flaws, make me feel small for not understanding algebra, and scoff at my grammar knowledge by being labeled a Grammar Nazi or worse.

As a writer, it is imperative that I know the basics: at least 98% of the rules, and to hone those skills to perfection.

For someone who loves to create memes, well . . . it would be nice if they knew what they were doing before they hit the SEND button, but that kind of thinking just makes me a mean, bad person.

you mean, like I do after seeing this on my FB wall?

carry on... I mean, carry on?