what exactly is an exclaimation mark

[mollymoo]

Can anyone tell me eactly what an exclaimation mark is for. I am not english and ould like to know Thank you

[j2buttonsw]

Exclamation marks are used to show strong feelings such as surprise, pain, horror or amazement. Its overuse is considered bad English.

[Buffy]

Or happiness!

[Ewood27]

Sorry, Buffy, I don't understand. Why is its overuse considered happiness?

[Quizmonster]

In Greek and Latin, the word 'Io'...(That's a capital i, not a small L, if you see what I mean!)...meant a cry, or exclamation, of joy. It is still used in much the same way - and with exactly the same pronunciation - by certain groups in society nowadays who say: "Yo!" when they are pleased to see you, for example.

There is some reason to believe that the tall narrow 'I' became the shaft of the exclamation mark and the small round 'o' became the dot below it...Io > !

So, from its beginnings as an indication of joy, it has gradually become a mark signifying all the other strong emotions such as those listed by J2B and Buffy above.

[firefly]

Where do you come from Mollymoo? I think all languages which use the twenty-four letter alphabetical system use exclaimation marks. Spanish has an additional symbol, the upside-down exclaimation to show that the following statement is exclaimed.

[bobbobley]

Ewood27 I think Buffy was referring to happiness being a strong emotion !

[gazzawazza]

Firefly, surely you mean twenty-six letters or am I showing real ignorance here?!