See also: Appendix:Variations of "?"

U+203D, ‽
INTERROBANG

[U+203C]
General Punctuation
[U+203E]

Translingual

Description

The interrobang: a vertical line integrated with the curved stroke of a question mark, with a separated dot at the bottom.

Formation

A superimposition of ! (denoting excitement, surprise, shock or sudden realisations) + ? (marks the preceding sentence as a question); see ?! and !?. Invented by advertising agent and typographer Martin Kiehra Speckter (1915–1988) in April 1962 for use by copywriters.[1][2][3]

Punctuation mark

(English name interrobang)

  1. (rare) Ends an emphatic question.
    He did what
    He did what?!

Usage notes

  • Also known less commonly in English as the interabang and exclamation question mark.

Synonyms

Derived terms

See also

Punctuation

References

  1. ^ Martin K. Spekter (April 1962) “Making a New Point, or, How About That …”, in TYPEtalks
  2. ^ Keith Houston (24 September 2013) Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, & Other Typographical Marks, W.W. Norton & Company, →ISBN, page 20
  3. ^ “Orbituary: Martin K. Speckter, 73, Creator of Interrobang”, in The New York Times[1], 16 February 1988