A little while ago my niece told me that someone was annoyed with her and said she knew it because they had put a full stop at the end of their text message.
“But I do that – it’s just grammar” I said … “yes but they’re under 30 so they know!” she replied.
Apparently, it’s a thing. I have checked and it has been a thing for some time … (see this article from the Independent); if you put a full stop at the end of your message its considered angry or rude by some!
The theory is it’s OK to put a full stop at the end of sentences in the middle of the message but the sending of the message is considered a full stop in itself. So if you put a dot at the end … you must be annoyed!
It got me thinking about how language and communication changes between generations … and how many people I’ve upset by using punctuation in my messages. I suppose it’s like the fact that if you type in capitals it’s read as shouting … was that always true?
I’ve spoken before about the use of emphasis in the written word and how it can be lost (if I say “I didn’t say she stole the money” the meaning changes depending on which word I emphasise). And I know that the use of an ill considered emoji in a text can completely change the meaning of what I say … but now I need to consider if my use of punctuation is changing the meaning too!
OMG … Mind. Blown. 😱
