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New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 12.22
by rts
Expressing sarcasm in the written word can be a dangerous business, as anyone forced to apologise for sending a tongue-in-cheek email will confirm. The SarcMark, as it has been named, is designed to be used in the same way as an exclamation or question mark.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/n ... usion.html

Bit of a gimmick, also with a cost of $1.99. Maybe it will catch on with the younger folk.

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 12.33
by Cache
Apparently this already exists.

"In certain Ethiopic languages, sarcasm is indicated at the end of a sentence with a sarcasm mark called temherte slaq, a character that looks like the inverted exclamation point - ¡ "

See http://www.slate.com/id/2111172 - The ¡ symbol has the added bonus of being free, but it still hasn't caught on. Don't expect this new SarcMark to fare well to be honest.

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 13.16
by Sput
Well just so long as no-one starts trying to use it here. My God, it'd be the Interrobang thread all over again!

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 13.27
by cdd
Well I think this is a thoroughly useful punctuation mark that should be used at every opportunityImage

Anyway, what's wrong with (!) ?

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 15.21
by Gavin Scott
cdd wrote:Well I think this is a thoroughly useful punctuation mark that should be used at every opportunityImage

Anyway, what's wrong with (!) ?
Oooh thanks cdd. I'll send you over the £1.99 I owe you.

Image

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 15.49
by Invent Meridian
I do not see the point of this punctuation mark. Every font in the world would need it's own style to suit the design of the font and this curvy monster definitely does not suit them all. For example I have adapted the 'SarcMark' to suit the font Museo Bold.

Image

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 16.10
by aeonsource
The amount of ®'s on that page are a bit excessive.

On most forums I go on, sarcasm is represented by a sentence ending in a /sarcasm fake BBCode tag.

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 19.38
by scottishtv
cdd wrote:Anyway, what's wrong with (!) ?
Indeed. That's what I use in IMs etc. I learnt that tip long ago thanks to Ceefax page 888.

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 20.03
by Nick Harvey
This sounds very much like a case of BBC dumbing down coming to the internet.

I always work on the principle that if people aren't intelligent enough to tell when I'm joking or being sarcastic, then they deserve to get upset.

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Fri 15 Jan, 2010 21.27
by Cache
Nick Harvey wrote: I always work on the principle that if people aren't intelligent enough to tell when I'm joking or being sarcastic, then they deserve to get upset.
Exactly.If humour or sarcasm needs to be explained then it's no longer funny.

Re: New punctuation - SarcMark

Posted: Sun 17 Jan, 2010 18.16
by Steve in Pudsey
I was under the impression that :-) had been invented for this exact purpose?