We all do it (well except for the English Majors and the self appointed Grammar Police), the dreaded double mark. Where we are asking a question but also exclaiming at the same time. It looks like this:

You want me to do what?!

or

You want me to do what!?

or

You want me to do what??

As the internet age becomes more pronounced in the English language (think BFF or OMG) and now with the popularity of Twitter and the allowance of only 140 character spaces to get your point across, a single space can mean a lot. Think also of the other sites where your status update space is limited as well. I think many people really don’t want to break the rule of only using an exclamation mark or only using a single question mark or even using them together, but they need to emphasize in writing their verbal intonations. The Queslamation Mark does that.

I propose font makers create the character for use as a main character and that computer makers, operating system makers, keyboard makers, mobile phone makers, etc. put the Queslamation Mark as a main character on the keyboard. For the English market I suggest putting it in the upper left in place of the Accent mark (see circled in red. keyboard image below). The current and likely future of the written English language won’t use the Accent mark as it did in the past.

I propose that the Queslamation Mark not involve holding down the shift key or any combination of keys in order to type the mark into an email, Twitter, status update, Word document, design program or wherever you do typing.

Here’s what I need from you:

1) Grass roots level support. Contact Apple (click the corporate PR profiles), Microsoft (click the general inquiries), Dell, Motorola, LG, AT&T, even Amazon’s Kindle needs one -and whoever else you can think of. Contact them about this post. Tell them you want this character.

2) I need a PR firm to help get the word out pro bono. (I don’t make a dime from the use of this new mark idea)

3) Spread the word about this mark via Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, BrightKite, YouTube, FriendFeed, …and on and on.

***Note: Yes I am aware of a character called the Interrobang. It is an attempt from the 60′s to do the same. The problem with the Interrobang is that it is ugly, not really a “single” character, visually doesn’t come across, and you have to hold down numerous keys to get the thing to come up. The average person does not know it is there and won’t use it because of the multiple keys one must use to get it. Hence my total redesign and call for the Queslamation Mark on the external keyboard like our main question mark and exclamaition marks.

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