The French have vaguely introduced an irony mark into their glyphs and there is a dormant sarcasm mark in the Ethiopian language. Both marks are simply a backwards question mark.

There is a need for a mark to clear up irony and derisive irony in the English language. As instant messaging, text messaging, and emailing have emerged as powerful forms of communication, we also see new forms of miscommunication. There is no easy way make the backwards question mark on a QWERTY keyboard, and virtually no way on most, if not all, cell phone keypads. Some use < sarcasm > at the end of a sentence, others use a rolling-eye emoticon, and the most reasonable to date is an exclamation mark inside brackets [!]. However, writing out the word sarcasm or even adding brackets to an exclamation mark seem extraneous within the flow of natural communication.

I propose we make the pound sign (or number sign) (#) [shift + 3] the representation for sarcasm and ironical bantering." />[shift + 3] pound it out | The Rathaus

Home » communication »The Rathaus » Currently Reading:

[shift + 3] pound it out

November 21, 2008 communication, The Rathaus

The French have vaguely introduced an irony mark into their glyphs and there is a dormant sarcasm mark in the Ethiopian language. Both marks are simply a backwards question mark.

There is a need for a mark to clear up irony and derisive irony in the English language. As instant messaging, text messaging, and emailing have emerged as powerful forms of communication, we also see new forms of miscommunication. There is no easy way make the backwards question mark on a QWERTY keyboard, and virtually no way on most, if not all, cell phone keypads. Some use < sarcasm > at the end of a sentence, others use a rolling-eye emoticon, and the most reasonable to date is an exclamation mark inside brackets [!]. However, writing out the word sarcasm or even adding brackets to an exclamation mark seem extraneous within the flow of natural communication.

I propose we make the pound sign (or number sign) (#) [shift + 3] the representation for sarcasm and ironical bantering. It’s on every keyboard, it’s an easy key command, it’s next to $ and not far from ! and won’t cause confusion as long as it is used to mark the end of a sentence. We don’t use the # sign after words or sentences, except to represent lbs in a recipe, and that is rare.

In the beginning it might seem a little superfluous, especially when used improperly. It’ll be like one of your friends getting braces, it’s weird at first but the awkwardness soon becomes normal.

If you’ve experienced the pain of trying to explain to someone that you weren’t being sincere in a textual dialogue but you in fact mean the complete opposite. If you ever want to respond to someone quickly and without further interrogation but you find yourself reluctant to throw out the ironic reply. Spread the word of the #.

Pledge your official support at [shift+3] saves lives

Sarcasm

by: Scott Starrett

Share
Tags: , ,
3 Comments

Currently there are "3 comments" on this Article:

  1. bonnie says:
    November 22, 2008 at 12:07 pm

    Unfortunately, I probably won’t be able to use this symbol, since I never use irony or sarcasm#

  2. s.a.johnson says:
    November 23, 2008 at 5:28 pm

    this is an awful idea#

  3. T Prue says:
    November 26, 2008 at 5:56 pm

    I like it. I mean I liked everything up to superfluous & then I stopped reading#
    Anyway, I will spread the word about this as well as continue on my long journey of sarcastic and untrue rants. Such as:

    Flipmode squad is the greatest#
    Michael Jackson did not molest those boys#

Search This Site:

Upcoming Events

May 2012
«Apr Jun»
SMTWTFS
 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
 

Comment on this Article:







Related Articles:

Film Screening of Dirty Business & Climate Action Discussion

October 8, 2010

• Film Screening of Dirty Business & Climate Action Discussion Ecumenical Christian Ministries (1204 Oread. St. in Lawrence, KS) Sunday, October 10, 7-9:30pm From the organizers (Films For Action): Films For Action, the Sustainability Action Network, KU Eco-Justice & GPACE present a free encore screening of Dirty Business on Sunday October 10th. This event is ...Read More

Sign This: Stop The Internet Blacklist!

September 27, 2010

According to Demand Progress: Just the other day, President Obama urged other countries to stop censoring the Internet. But now the United States Congress is trying to censor the Internet here at home. A new bill (S. 3804) being debated this week would have the Attorney General create an Internet blacklist of sites that US ...Read More

Watch: Kevin Smith’s True Hollywood Stories

July 26, 2010

You probably know Kevin Smith as the mastermind behind such movies as Clerks, Mallrats and Zak and Miri Make A Porno; but what you may not realize is that Smith also happens to be one of the greatest living storytellers around. While some in Hollywood insist on keeping their behind-the-scenes shenanigans under wraps, Smith is never afraid to lay it all out there for you. Here we’ve collected some of our favorite Kevin Smith True Hollywood Stories.

1. The story of how he almost wrote and directed a Superman movie in which the man of steel would not fly nor wear a cape.

2. Kevin Smith hangs out with Prince for a week to shoot a documentary…then things get weird.

Prince and Kevin Smith part 2
Prince and Kevin Smith part 3
Prince and Kevin Smith part 4

3. How Smith ended up protesting his own movie Dogma

Watch the actual news report from the Dogma story here

Watch Smith tell the story of how he pissed off Tim Burton here

Watch Smith describe how people reacted to his stories here

Much of this footage is from the 2002 DVD An Evening with Kevin Smith

Infographic: Google’s Data Removal Service

July 23, 2010


click the image for a larger version

According to Good Magazine (published July 20, 2010):

Google compiles and holds vast amounts of the world’s data. It’s supposed to be totally private but sometimes governments need that information for investigations, and they request it from Google (or its subsidiaries like YouTube, Blogger, or Orkut). Other times, governments find a piece of data offensive or erroneous, and request that Google remove it from its database entirely. The search giant makes all these requests public. This is a look at which countries ask Google for the most information on its users, which ask Google to remove the most information, and how often Google gives information.

The infographic was designed by MGMT design.

posted by: Brent Carter

Funny Video: The skinNY

July 8, 2010

“The skinNY” is the story of Rachel and Joanna, two wildly self-confident girls from Orlando who move to New York to work in PR and “run this town.” They dress like it’s 2004, believe they can have any guy they want, and listen almost exclusively to Fergie. Starring Jonny Sollis and Fabrizio Goldstein (The Fat Jew). Produced by Nick Gallo from The Onion.

posted by: Harold Johns III

Art

Artist Shout Out: Walter Inglis Anderson

Artist Shout Out: Walter Inglis Anderson

By B. Carter

Walter Inglis Anderson was an American painter, writer, naturalist and bicycle enthusiast. Artist Bio: Walter Inglis Anderson was born in 1903 in New Orleans to George Walter Anderson, a grain merchant, and Annette McConnell Anderson, an artist. His mother’s love of art, music, and literature strongly influenced Walter (called “Bob” by his friends and family) ...Read More

Category:

Music

New Music Review: Widowspeak “Widowspeak”

New Music Review: Widowspeak “Widowspeak”

By Tricia Rock

With a Cat Power alto and Mazzy Star whisper, Widowspeak‘s self-titled debut LP embodies the essence of the 90′s. But with band members born just at the cusp of the decade,  singer/songwriter Molly Hamilton, drummer Michael Stasiak and guitarist Robert Earl Thomas offer not a retelling of the 90′s but a new generation’s interpretation of ...Read More

Category:

Fashion

Runway Style: Thomas Tait Fall 2011

Runway Style: Thomas Tait Fall 2011

By Tricia Rock

Canadian-born designer Thomas Tait began his career as the youngest graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins, completing the program at just 21. His graduate collection was then chosen as a feature in the CSM fashion week show for the Fall 2010 season, after which he went on to receive the Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize on ...Read More

Category:

Photography

Photo File: Saga

Photo File: Saga

By Tricia Rock

From the photographer: “I am Saga. I am from Iceland but currently live, study and work in London.” See more of Saga’s work on: Flickr The Neverending Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Read More

Category: ,

Film

Style Watch: Harmony Korine for Proenza Schouler “Act Da Fool”

Style Watch: Harmony Korine for Proenza Schouler “Act Da Fool”

By Tricia Rock

To showcase their Fall 2010 line, Proenza Schouler teamed up with legendary cult filmmaker Harmony Korine to create Act Da Fool. With the influx of short fashion films in early 2010, designers now seem to be stepping it up a notch in the video department – and in my opinion Act Da Fool takes the ...Read More

Category: ,

TV

Style Trends: Beverly Hills 90210

Style Trends: Beverly Hills 90210

By Tricia Rock

With the DVD release of its first six seasons and an updated CW remake, Beverly Hills 90210 has yet again become a source of entertainment and fashion inspiration for girls (and grownup girls) everywhere. References to the show in the fashion world began popping up in late 2006, around the time of the 90210 Season ...Read More

Category: ,

Web

Photo Flash: The Camel Thorn Trees of Namibia, Africa

Photo Flash: The Camel Thorn Trees of Namibia, Africa

By B. Carter

photograph by Frans Lanting, National Geographic Tinted orange by the morning sun, a soaring dune is the backdrop for the hulks of camel thorn trees in Namib-Naukluft Park. In 1990 newly independent Namibia became one of the world’s first nations to write environmental protection into its constitution. Read more about Namibia’s unqiue efforts at land stewardship here. ...Read More

Category: ,

News

Infographic: Sitting is Killing You

Infographic: Sitting is Killing You

By B. Carter

See the entire infographic here Read an article about a Canadian sitting study here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Read More

Category: , ,

Funny

Funny Video: Charlotte Young’s Artist Statement

Funny Video: Charlotte Young’s Artist Statement

By Harold Johns III

Any artist will tell you, the worst thing about being an artist besides being poor is writing a bullshit artist statement. Don’t worry though, Charlotte Young is actually a comedian and not a depressed artist so don’t feel guilty for laughing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Read More

Category: , ,