#punctuation art

I recently became aware of a whole bunch of obscure punctuation marks that I never knew existed.  As a result of this discovery, I’ve created a series of images that honor these obscure punctuation marks. Not sure anyone will ever actually use these punctuation marks but you could try to using them now and again. Nobody will know what they’re for and they’ll be too afraid to ask.  And if that’s not smirk-worthy, nothing is.  

The Pilcrow is a current-day proofreaders’ mark that is used to identify a paragraph and to point out where there ought to be a paragraph break. In editorial production, the pilcrow typographic character is also known as the paragraph mark. 

The Pilcrow’s original Greek form, a simple horizontal line in the left margin of texts, was called a paragraphos. Later, symbols representing the paragraphos, including the pilcrow, were translated into Old French as paragraphe and then pelagraphe.  Somehow, the Middle English word pylcrafte turns up somewhere in the mid-15th century. Even more arbitrary than the centuries-long change that turned paragraphos into “pilcrow,” though, is the scattered development of the contemporary symbol representing The Pilcrow.

Like some other specialized pieces of punctuation in my series of Punctuation Art, The Pilcrow cannot be found on a computer keyboard. Guess you never expected to learn a thing or two while rambling through some guy’s Abstract Art Tumbler page, did ya?  

So there you have it. Chances are small that you will ever use The Pilcrow in your day to day life but should you suddenly find yourself on a TV Gameshow and this thing pops up as a Topic or in a Question - use this knowledge freely and march forward with confidence to the Lightning Round.  You’re Welcome!

I recently became aware of a whole bunch of obscure punctuation marks that I never knew existed.  As a result of this discovery, I’ve created a series of images that honor these obscure punctuation marks.   Not sure anyone will ever actually use these punctuation marks but you could try to using them now and again to show your friends that you know a little something.  Just don't expect to get rich in the process. Believe me, you won't.

The “Love “Point is a punctuation mark used to express affection or a romantic sentiment. It's essentially a stylized heart symbol used in place of more formal punctuation.  It's used to express a feeling of love, affection, or a romantic subtext.  It's often seen in informal online communication, such as texting and in social media. Using it is a bold and fancy move so use it wisely so nobody gets the wrong idea. Sadly, the Love Point seems to have been replaced with the face emoji that has enlarged heart-shaped eyes.  Is there anything Emoji's don't ruin? Still, The Love Point is a pretty cool piece of punctuation if you can figure out how to make it. 

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I recently became aware of a whole bunch of obscure punctuation marks that I never knew existed.  As a result of this discovery, I’ve created a series of images that honor these obscure punctuation marks. This is another in the series.  Not sure anyone will ever actually use these punctuation marks but you could try to adding them in as part of your social media dating app profile.  Who knows, you might get lucky. 

The "Irony Mark" is a punctuation mark designed to indicate a hidden subtext or ironic meaning in a sentence. It's meant to help readers understand that the text may be sarcastic, cynical, or expressing a subtext that is different from what the words explicitly say. The mark typically precedes the sentence to which it applies. 

You can certainly try using it nowadays but the irony would be..... very few would understand what you’re talking about. But…. you would.  And really, that’s all that matters.  

I recently became aware of a whole bunch of obscure punctuation marks that I never knew existed.  This goes to show, you can learn something new every day if ya poke around in various nooks and crannies in the world.  As a result of this discovery, I’ve created a series of images that honor these obscure punctuation marks. This is another in a series of these punctuation images.  I consider this series as a celebration of stuff I never knew before.  Not sure I’ll ever actually use these punctuation marks in my day to day comings and goings, but it’s nice to know they’re around just in case I need ‘em.  Plus, they look kinda fancy!

“Acclimation Point” The acclamation point is used to demonstrate an enthusiastic sense of goodwill and encouragement and is placed at the end of a sentence. You could use it while describing someone’s Art on Tumblr. It would be a way of expressing your are amazement at its genius. Or something like that.

I recently became aware of a whole bunch of obscure punctuation marks that I never knew existed.   As a result of this discovery, I’ve created a series of images that honor these obscure punctuation marks. This is another in the series.   Not sure anyone will ever actually use these punctuation marks but you could try to use them to impress/confuse/anger your friends.  They're guaranteed to get a reaction. 

“The Because Point”

The “because point” is used to give more information after a line of text. It’s an inverted form of the “therefore” sign and means exactly what its name implies: because. 

This punctuation mark never gained widespread adoption and remains more of a curiosity than a practical tool in modern English. Some sources also note its whimsical appearance, likening it to a "frightened ghost," though this is more a playful observation than a functional description. Without a standardized symbol in common use, it’s not part of typical keyboards or fonts, and its recognition is limited to discussions of obscure or creative punctuation.

*I recently became aware of a whole bunch of obscure punctuation marks that I never knew existed.  This goes to show, you can learn something new every day if ya poke around in various nooks and crannies in the world.  As a result of this literary discovery, I’ve created a series of images that honor these obscure punctuation marks. I shall periodically post some of these images as a celebration of stuff I never knew before.  Not sure I’ll ever actually use these punctuation marks in my day to day comings and goings, but it’s nice to know they’re around just in case I need ‘em.  Plus, they look kinda fancy! Without further ado, may I present the:

“Interrobang”

This is perhaps one of the more useful obscure punctuation marks in the series. It can be used to express surprise and unbelief simultaneously. If you want to ask a question excitedly, use the interrobang instead of “?!” at the end of a sentence.