In the early ’60s a frustrated ad exec, for whom the usual combination of the question mark and exclamation point (?!) had lost the ability to convey the appropriate WTF-ness of a thought, came to create the interrobang — a portmanteau of “interrogate” and “bang”:
Take the question and exclamation marks often found together at the end of shock-transmitting sentences (“You won how much money at poker?!”) and merge them into a single typographical symbol: ` .
And the interrobang (a delightful word to type!) is, supposedly, poised for a comeback. “The very technology that allows for the interrobang’s wider dissemination—e-mail, text-messaging and online games—is also the ideal medium for it. Welcome to Incredulity 2.0.” I would very much like to interrobang the shit out of some sentences. [via]
I can’t wait to get interrobanged…mmm. Put it on my keyboard, Apple! Stat!!!
@Melissa: Campaign to make it happen. Interrobanging for all.