#exclamatory questions

[cryoverkiltmilk]

Just for fun, here are several different/interesting fonts this 61-year-old punctuation appears in.

[a-prism-of-deceit]

(via "Interrobang Glitch Punctuation" Sticker for Sale by Horn and Halo Studios)

[thunderbxltss]

𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐓 𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 (𝐩𝐭.𝐈) | 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 “𝐛𝐨𝐛” 𝐫𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞!𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

WARNINGS -> swearing, mentions of injury, thunderbolts spoilers

VALENTINA, UPON THEIR INTRODUCTION, had told her that she was a vague, impressionist painting of her father.

“I mean, you obviously have his intellect and wits but there’s something missing,” Valentina had mused with an eerie nonchalance, tapping her pen emphatically against her desk.

Sitting across from the woman, shoulders pinched, Y/N briefly rued her agreement to this meeting. Sam and Bucky had forewarned her in their own capacities, and had both collectively failed to capture the sheer bluntness and callosity of Valentina.

“Like, something’s been sucked out of you,” the older woman feigned a commiserative sigh. 

The sleek black pen now danced almost mockingly around the file she had on y/n, edging deliberately at the red, bold stamping of ‘ENHANCED’. She tilted her head to further the portrayal of sympathy, “And all that is left is a broken, broken girl.”

The itch of regret of not sticking Valentina with an exclamatory “fuck you” and leaving the office that afternoon, had swarmed beneath her nerves each day since it passed. But, her gripes of should-haves seemed self-serving when she recalled to herself why she had agreed to be Valentina’s asset that day.

Whispered D.C. gossip - speculations - of a human enhancement program orchestrated by Valentina had piqued Bucky’s attention.

“How much do you know?” y/n questioned, sucking in her bottom lip fleetingly as if to brace herself for his answer. The pair of them - both products of similar initiatives — stood staunchly across from one another at his kitchen island.

“Enough,” was his clipped response, though his threadbare expression betrayed the terseness of his voice — it was enough in his standards but the politics of it all pinned them in a situation of formalities, “But Congress needs physical proof of this project for impeachment. Sam is dodging my calls and-”

“I’ll do it, Buck,” she was swift to interject, his words encroaching on the reality that there wasn’t anyone anymore to call on in these circumstances.

The dim light offered by his dining room illuminated the solemn glint in his eyes that implicitly reflected how he’d take her place if it weren’t for his place in Congress.

The pursuit of physical proof had culminated into a brush with a fiery demise, and a crapshoot escape that entailed tangled limbs and frustrated exclaims from a group of misfit mercenaries of Valentina’s own design. John Walker (a jackass rendition of Captain America), Yelena Belova (the sister Natasha had reminisced here and there about), and Ava Starr (a fellow SHIELD pawn).

And him - Bob.

Adorned in pale blue that functioned well with his meek, rather off-putting demeanor, he had been a begrudging addition to their escape — his presence being fought for mostly by Yelena and her.

Now, as Yelena and John tossed bickers over how they’d manage their way out of the O.X.E facility, y/n spared a moment afforded by their contention to glance over the file she had plucked before the incineration.

Sliding a gradually bruising finger along its crevice, she flicked it open to be exposed beneath the dim light peeking from the walls and ceiling. The words PROJECT SENTRY were welcomed by the soft illuminance. A photograph of strewn body bags was upholstered haphazardly alongside hurried penmanship: project unsuccessful, all participants declared deceased shortly after administration of serum.

A fleeting shiver tendrils down the length of her spine, the sensation wrenched away when movement flashed above the rim of the file.

“What’re you looking at?” Bob questioned, overstrung fingers toying with the hem of his shirt.

y/n promptly closed the file, aware that her hastiness painted suspicion despite the words pooling on her tongue. She feigned offhandedness in her sidelong glance at him, “Nothing.”

Bob nodded, slow and as if tempted to say more yet refrained, his pinched posture reminiscent of an abject child.

Then, in the midst of a stride towards the others, her fingers brushed against his own as she tucked the file into her tactical vest. Her offhandedness faltered, the lapse pooling in a foreboding familiarity as the dim lighting flashed into a murky grey. Dampness and a nerve-scathing bitterness swam around her now. The cries — anguish-traced, raw — of a little girl echoed in a directionless taunt as the prickled stab of a needle pierced y/n’s forearm. Confused and knee-locked, she could only clamp her palms over her ears.

“Stark!”

John Walker’s irritable proclamation echoed from beyond the grayness and shrieks of a little girl meant to remain buried.

y/n blinked, chin jerking upwards and being embraced by the golden hue of the room once again. Her bewildered gaze leveled with Bob’s blue eyes that flitted with panic, both equally perplexed as to what had happened.

Walker’s plussed voice rang out somewhere from behind Bob, stance drawn taut as he signaled her out, “Are you gonna help or continue to ogle at Bobby there?”

As if he held a finger to a flickering flame, Bob took a sharp step away from her, hands curling in against his sides. y/n still stared at him — at how the warm amber of a particularly close light swept across the disdain, the self-loathing, that he held in his clenched jaw.

“Stark,” Yelena beckoned from alongside Walker, recalling her once again to their situation.

“I know,” y/n brusquely remarked, begrudgingly stepping away from Bob as the flashbulbs of the little girl and the coldness ticked off in her brain.

“Tell me again why we have another ragtag freak coming with us,” John mumbled with an ill-concealed huff beneath his whisper after noting y/n’s dismayed expression.

“Same reason we’re keeping your douche-self around, Walker,” Ava smirked with an impish lean of her head.

“Do you even have a plan or have you just stood there bitching the entire time?” said y/n, wagering a glance towards Bob in anticipation of John’s likely pissed-off reply. Matted hair framed his downturned head as he mumbled to himself, hands clenching and unclenching frenetically against the crease of his pants.

“I’ll talk to him,” Yelena, as disinterested in John’s response as y/n was, mumbled. She stepped past him, a scowl perched against the dried blood on her high cheekbones, looking at him as if he were an insect smothered on her boot.

As Yelena walked towards Bob, a rather feeble scoff permeated from John, the tense noise a manifestation of the sudden fluster he felt from the three daunting woman he was trapped with.

“Yelena and I have-” he started after assuming a gawked stance for a moment while collecting coherence.

“No, just Yelena,” Ava swiftly interposed from where she leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

John briefly pursed his lips, mended his temper with a concise nod to himself, and continued, “Anyway, we’re going to cut the power to this place and ambush the Calvary of Assholes outside. Ava steals a getaway car, Yelena is going to trip the power-” he gestured a lone finger between himself and y/n, who peered at him undiluted apathy, “- and you and I are going to take out these dumbasses.”

Her eyes fashioned with the churns of annoyance towards the leering mop of blonde across from her, “I’m honored.”

John subtly clicked his tongue, fingers percussing an agitated tune against the curve of his shield, “Trust me, Miss Stark, I’d rather have to deal with Barnes and Wilson than you and your insufferable ego.”

y/n tilted her head towards him with a gleam of a sharp smirk as she mused, “Well, we’ve seen how that ends up for you.”

His own pique challenged hers in a fair competition now, fingers now flexed in a firm grasp on his shield.

“Ugh, enough of the pissing contest,” Yelena groaned, traipsing back towards them with Bob loitering a few paces behind her shoulder.

A tug of coldness wedged into her stomach as his eyes reluctantly roamed across all of them, settling on her with the ghosts of blame and — perhaps anger — still abound amongst the azure of them.

Upon clocking her glance on him, he darted his gaze away, jaw clicking subtly as his fingers once again were abound in the blue cloth of his shirt, this time with more tension. What happened to you? the question wandered through her mind, a furthering of the initial judgment she had made when he had roved out from behind the crate and into their clusterfuck.

The hairs on the nape of her neck edged upwards as he spared a wary glance at her, a flash of surprise poking through loathing at himself — he hadn’t expected her gaze to still be on him, unmoving but void of rebuke for what had happened… what he had caused.

“Alright, let’s all get the fuck out of here,” Walker exhaled markedly, peering around at them as if they were an itch he couldn’t wait to rid himself of, “No funny business - just do as you were assigned.”

“As if you weren’t just keen on smashing one of our faces in with your shield,” Ava countered, sweeping away debris flecks from the cloth of her jacket as she sauntered towards one of the far walls, promptly disappearing through it.

“Okay, enough with the bickering - I’m already nursing a concussion-induced headache here,” Yelena chided, flitting out a wisp of breath that tressed the frayed hair that framed her face.

Her eyes pondered over at Bob, who she gestured at flippantly to tempt away his gaze from y/n, “Bob, you’re with me.”

A coil of reluctance drew his attention away, and as his head turned towards Yelena, Walker had already took his stance in y/n’s periphery.

“If you’re done gawking - we should go get in position,” he smoothly remarked, eyes flashing down at her as her narrowed stare found quick residence on him. A glimmer of a simper fashioned on the corners of his mouth at the irritation that bloomed across her expression.

“You like to think you’re all high and mighty, but from where I stand,” she jabbed a lone finger into the mesh of his suit, “You’re nothing more than a jackass with a glorified frisbee.”

There was a divine moment where his face cramped into an unblinking expression of perplex, as if his brain couldn't comprehend the frankness of her words.

Nearly too belligerently, she turned her heel away from him, the sole of her boot pinching out a squealed whine as it twirled against the marmoreal floor beneath them.

“Try to not kill each other,” Yelena proclaimed from where Bob and her approached the stairwell to the electrical room, “At least wait until we’re the fuck out of this place.”

Walker spewed a colorful array of words beneath the guise of an exhale as he brushed past y/n with a disposition akin to a scorned child.

y/n spared the behavior a fleeting eye roll before she waved her hand back in Yelena’s direction, an implicit acknowledgment of her words. Aversely, she pursued after Walker towards the corridor the tactical team would be entering first through.

And, before enveloping herself into the darkness of the hall, y/n cast a brief glance over her shoulder and to the retreating silhouette of Bob as he guardedly traipsed after Yelena.

The cursory glance lapsed no longer than a heartbeat, as the cold from earlier sheathed over her shoulders and aloof cries of a little girl inched forward from its rotten residence in her mind.

Fingers still abuzz from where they had fallen against his own, she turned away, hastily minding the gap between John and her.

—

TRULY, THE LAST TWENTY MINUTES HAD ALL BEEN A BLUR.

In her half-concussed mind, she could recall through the radiating ache that they had all managed to scramble off in an SUV from a remarkably pissed off Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

Somewhere amidst the disarray of screaming at each other and the screech of tires, Bob had fled the sanctuary of the SUV’s rear, wielding an automatic rifle in some semblance of a heroic delusion of grandeur.

The manic effort at diverting attention away from their escape surely had been an oddity in his sheepish tendencies, yet came to pale in comparison to what hung on the heels of it.

In the beacon of a string of blinding SUV headlights, a half moon structure of tactical forces closed in on Bob, whose blue shirt danced with an entanglement of red lasers. The spent casings of his rifle were littered around his bare feet.

The night air, imbued with the fog of dissipating tear gas, stalled in silence as every party present anticipated their adversaries next move.

y/n, tautly nestled between Walker and Yelena, watched with a crackle of breath in her throat as she braced forward on the dashboard.

For a rather over-verbose group, they were collectively resigned to a fixed silence.

Then, a cacophonous chorus of spraying bullets splintered the wired stillness. A hand - Walker’s, she determined by the flash of subdued American colors in her periphery - promptly came to lean her head down from the windshield.

Despite the anchor of his palm against the nape of her head, y/n finagled her neck to peek over the dashboard. The smoke that had billowed from the mass exodus of bullets consumed the lower glass concave of the windshield, yielding a blurred image of where Bob had been.

“What the fuck?” Ava blurted from where she had assumed a similar hunch beneath the arch of the steering wheel.

“What is it?” Walker’s harsh whisper flittered hotly against y/n’s ear, cueing her to their forced proximity in the cramped front seat.

“He’s alive,” Ava jerked her chin towards a fracture in the smoke, the four of them simultaneously turning their heads as if stringed along by a puppeteer.

A rumple of brown hair and a dull blue clothing arrangement poked through the smoke and throng of black tactical gear. Bob. y/n squinted, wincing subtly as the scrunch of her eyes vexed the raw cut on her eyebrow. Though the hemming of his shirt was sorely tattered, it bore no crimson blemish of wounds.

Somehow, he was unscathed.

As if enduring the violence of a thousand bullets like they were no more than pokes against his skin, hadn’t baffled them properly, then him vanishing into the night sky did.

“He legit just whooshed on into the sky and crash landed into Valentina’s lap,” Yelena uttered, gesturing emphatically in concert with her retelling of what they’d witnessed. Standing over her, the juice from her cactus fruit lightly aerosolized towards y/n, who lay on the desert ground, arms entangled over her eyes as if to mitigate the discomfort of her concussion.

“And you all heckled me when I suggested we leave him to toast,” Walker snapped through the evening briskness as he sat wide-legged on the perch of a rock, the rumpled carcass of his fruit beside his hip.

Ava groaned from where she leaned against the coolness of stone, a noise that signaled it was fair game as to if her aching body or John Walker were vexing her more in that moment.

y/n favored ignorance to the tightrope of squabbling that was being strung around her, peering up at the stars that split the black marble of the sky.

The file tucked into the velcro of her vest abruptly felt heavy — sodden with an uncomfortable realization. What if not all the test subjects had died? And that’s why Bob was down in that vault, tucked away and unknown - perhaps even to Val herself.

An ache distinct from that of her ribs and head settled into her stomach. What had Valentina done to him?

[rwby-encrusted-blog]

Weiss: Are you Stupid!

Jaune: Is that rhetorical or interrogative?

Weiss: Well now it's definitive!

Jaune: You mean declarative, but with your tone and volume, it'd be Exclamatory!

Weiss: Definitive also works, as it's a description of the truth of the statements not the type of sentence, and it's about to be imperative That I shut your mouth!

Jaune: But I had asked about the type of questioning statement it was, not the validity of it, and also, it wouldn't be definitive in the fact it was a question! But maybe that wasn't simple enough for you!

Weiss: ...

Jaune: ...

Weiss: I'm going to cause compound fractures on your pelvis.

Jaune: I'd like to see you try.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Sentence Types

There are 4 types of sentences in English. Each has a specific purpose.

4 Types of Sentences

DECLARATIVE SENTENCE

The purpose of this sentence is to make a statement.

It is the most common sentence in writing, and it ends with a period. Examples:

"Larry ate chocolate ice cream covered with almonds."

"Susan was declared class president at the pep rally."

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE

The purpose of this sentence is to ask a question.

The sentence ends with a question mark.

There are 2 kinds of questions in English:

1. The "yes/no" question

Places the helping verb in a declarative sentence before the subject in the interrogative sentence. Example:

"I can go to Jamaica this summer." (declarative)

Is transformed to: "Can I go to Jamaica this summer?" (interrogative)

2. The "wh-"question

Begins with a question word: who, what, when, where, why, and how. These words always appear first in the interrogative sentence. Examples:

Who is that student?

What are Mary and Robin doing?

When will you be home?

Where is Mark going?

Why are you sad?

How does that work?

IMPERATIVE SENTENCE

The purpose of this sentence is to issue a request or command.

It has no written subject; however, the subject is implied, and it is always "you." Examples:

"Go to school." = (You) Go to school.

"Don't drive too fast." = (You) Don't drive too fast.

EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE

The purpose of this sentence is to express a strong feeling.

Exclamatory sentences always end with an exclamation point. Examples: 

"That is an unusual color!"

"John sounded brilliant!"

Source ⚜ More: Writing Basics & Refreshers

[solar-flares-and-fox-snares]

⛅︎ [CLOSED] STARTER: NEW HABITS⛅︎

It's been roughly a week since Cyrus's return, and you've started to notice a rather strange habit.

Before, he would spend most of his time in the woods or at the Apollo cabin. Now, he barely seemed to be spending time at either location. He has entirely stopped sleeping in the Apollo cabin, opting for a camp-out near the lake. When questioned, he would say in a hollow, monotone voice devoid of real emotion, "I like watching the stars." The only credibility to this claim was the long hours he would spend up at night, looking at the sky.

The bandages littering his skin gradually disappeared as he stopped going into the woods so often, replaced by jewelry of lions, wolves, and dogs with snakes curled around their bodies, and small doodles of suns and beavers that had been drawn on his skin with a green Sharpie like temporary tattoos. He had gotten a haircut, his eyes had darkened, and his exclamatory outbursts were few and far between.

Tonight is one of those peaceful nights where he camps out and looks at the stars. When he spots you, he waves a little, his voice more deadpan than usual.

"Hello."

Taglist: @daughter-of-pasithea @defect-child-of-eros @sunny-child-of-apollo and anyone else who wants to rp (lmk if you wanna be added or removed from taglist)

[hayatheauthor]

How To Showcase Surprise In Your Writing

Welcome to the latest installation of my series on how to write different emotions. Today we’re covering surprise.

Surprise is a powerful emotion that can add depth and intrigue to your characters and scenes. Mastering the art of depicting surprise in writing can captivate your readers and keep them engaged. Here's how you can effectively showcase surprise in your writing:

Facial Expressions

Facial expressions are key to conveying the emotion of surprise in your writing. Here are some cues you can use to effectively describe facial expressions of surprise:

Widened Eyes: Describe how the character's eyes widen in astonishment, perhaps with pupils dilated.

Raised Eyebrows: Note how their eyebrows shoot up, creating a look of disbelief or astonishment.

Open Mouth: Mention their mouth falling open slightly or hanging agape, reflecting their shock.

Clenched Jaw: In some cases, surprise can also manifest as a clenched jaw, indicating tension or disbelief.

Flushed Cheeks: Describe how their cheeks may flush with the rush of adrenaline accompanying surprise.

Twitching or Tics: Note any involuntary movements, like twitching of the lips or facial tics, that can accompany surprise.

Body Language

Body language is another crucial element in conveying the emotion of surprise. Here are some body language cues you can use to effectively depict surprise in your writing:

Freeze or Startle: Describe how the character might freeze momentarily or startle, indicating their sudden shock or astonishment.

Tensing Muscles: Mention any tensing of muscles, such as clenching fists or tightening shoulders, as a physical response to surprise.

Backing Away: Show the character taking a step back or leaning away slightly, a common reaction to unexpected situations.

Leaning Forward: Alternatively, describe them leaning forward with heightened curiosity or interest in the surprising revelation.

Quick Movements: Note any sudden, jerky movements or gestures, like a hand flying to their mouth or chest, in response to the surprise.

Fidgeting: Mention any fidgeting or restless movements, like tapping fingers or bouncing legs, as a sign of nervous energy.

Dialogue and Voice

Dialogue and voice play a significant role in conveying surprise in your writing. Here are some techniques and elements you can use:

Exclamations: Incorporate exclamatory phrases or interjections such as "Wow!" or "Oh my goodness!" to convey the intensity of the character's surprise.

Short, Stuttered Sentences: Use short, choppy sentences to mimic the character's fragmented thoughts and speech as they process the surprise.

Questioning Tone: Show the character asking questions or seeking clarification, reflecting their confusion or need for more information.

Changes in Pitch: Describe how their voice may rise in pitch or become shaky, indicating their emotional state.

Pauses and Hesitations: Include pauses or hesitations in dialogue to mimic the character's hesitation or disbelief.

Physical Reactions

In addition to facial expressions and body language, characters experiencing surprise may exhibit various physical reactions. Here are some cues you can use to describe their physical responses to surprise:

Heart Racing: Describe how their heart races or pounds in their chest, a common physiological response to sudden shock or excitement.

Adrenaline Rush: Mention the rush of adrenaline they may feel, leading to heightened senses and increased alertness.

Goosebumps or Shivers: Note any goosebumps or shivers that may run down their spine, indicating a strong emotional reaction.

Sweating: Describe how they may break out in a cold sweat or feel warmth spreading across their body due to the adrenaline surge.

Trembling or Shaking: Show them trembling or shaking slightly, a physical manifestation of their emotional state.

Sensory Details

Sensory details play a vital role in creating a vivid and immersive experience for readers. When depicting surprise, consider incorporating the following sensory cues:

Sound: Describe any sounds associated with the surprising event, such as gasps, whispers, or the sudden silence that follows a shocking revelation.

Sight: Paint a visual picture of the scene, including details like the character's widened eyes, their surroundings, and any visual cues that contribute to the atmosphere of surprise.

Touch: Mention any tactile sensations the character experiences, such as a racing heartbeat, goosebumps, or the sensation of trembling hands.

Smell: If relevant, include any smells that add to the scene, such as the scent of fear, excitement, or the environment where the surprise occurs.

Taste: If applicable, describe any taste sensations related to the surprise, such as a dry mouth, a metallic taste of adrenaline, or the taste of surprise turning into relief or disappointment.

Verbs and Adjectives

Choosing the right verbs and adjectives is crucial in effectively conveying the emotion of surprise in your writing. Here are some verbs and adjectives you can use:

Verbs:

Gasped, Exclaimed, Stuttered, Bolted, Recoiled, Gaped, Trembled, Jolted, Twitched, Faltered

Adjectives:

Astonished, Stunned, Amazed, Bewildered, Flabbergasted, Dumbfounded, Taken aback, Incredulous, Startled, Shocked

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey! 

[queerprayers]

hello, i've recently come across more accounts similar to yours and they have really helped me feel closer to God. so for starters i appreciate you and everything you have to say is very insightful. i am new to Christianity (looking into Catholicism) but i have struggled with my relationship with God for a few years as i am queer. Anyway, all of that is not entirely related to my question. as i wasn't raised religious, i have done some things that i am not proud of that i hope won't ruin God's love for me. for example, i have said stuff that could be considered "taking the Lord's name in vain" such as saying "oh my god", "jesus christ", etc. do you think that is actually taking his name in vain? truthfully, i have been trying to cut down regardless as i love God and mean no offense but it's hard as i have said words carelessly in the past. i apologize for the longer text!!

Welcome, beloved, I'm so glad you're here!

This is always such an interesting topic and I'm sure I won't do it justice, but I'll try to answer your question. The third commandment has been oversimplified for a lot of Christians, and I do think we should take it seriously—but when we caught up with people saying "omg" casually, we miss a lot.

"Taking the Lord's name in vain" can encompass quite a bit: cursing God, swearing on God falsely (in the sense of making promises you don't keep), treating sacred things with disrespect, using God for your own gain, using God to justify evil actions, claiming God's name for harmful theologies—really anything that profanes/using hollowly/for profit the name/essence/qualities of God. "Name" is more than language—it's a presence. So is the third commandment addressing casualness with religious language? I don't think that's what it's specifically interested in, and because the Ten Commandments functioned communally/legally more than personally I'm inclined to say it's concerned more with the promise type of swearing and temple rituals, but I do think the philosophies behind these large things can be brought down to the personal language level, especially for those of us who aren't ancient Israelites.

An old anecdote from my church is that for years they had a plain wooden cross in the sanctuary, but my childhood pastor had a crucifix put up. (This was before I was born, and I'm so thankful I got to grow up with a full, embodied cross rather than an empty one.) An old lady stopped in her tracks that morning, staring up above the altar, and said "Oh my god." The pastor said, "That's right, he is." Besides being used to poke fun at this lady (who had probably never encountered traditional art of the crucifixion in her rural Protestant life) and as a justification for having a crucifix (to more fully confront God), it was also used by my mother to explain why we weren't allowed to say "oh my god" unless the situation necessitated it.

This has made me rethink some of the things I say—and I think there are lines here that we all have to draw. Many exclamations/curses are religious in nature (like damn or hell), and should we only say those when we mean the full essence of the thing? My mother thinks so, and I've gone back and forth. I think what we say matters, and carelessness should never be our framework. I also know that I don't get offended when people say things like "oh my god"—and I've definitely said it before, in way less necessary situations than confronting him bleeding.

When we look at all the things the third commandment can encompass, exclamatory swearing is surely at the bottom of the list in terms of what matters interpersonally and religiously. The megachurch pastor who uses God to sell things and the abuser who uses religion as an excuse are much more relevant to me. This is about your attitude toward your faith, how you want your language to reflect that, and how seriously you take words that are really only translations of a human approximation of a theological truth.

A line I draw is "Jesus" vs. "God"—one is the personal name of my god, and one is more of a title. I don't swear using Jesus's name, but I've dropped an "oh my god." I'm also more likely to use religious exclamations in the face of things I genuinely care about—I'll say "oh my god" to something beautiful but am more likely to say "shit" when I drop something. Is this all arbitrary? Of course! But the language we treasure and the language we're less careful with always is.

I won't tell you where to draw your lines, but I will say the best way to approach any of it is to notice these things—which you definitely are! Whether or not we end up changing something, it's always good to be aware of what we say and how it could affect us. So ask those questions, think through it all. Don't let casualness make you forget the enormity of what we're talking about when we say "God," but also, turn to God with every emotion and in every situation. Don't bring religion into everything because you're being careless—do it because it's where you and the universe touch.

To answer another (and in my opinion more important) question you've asked, no, God's love for you isn't ruined. I don't care what you've said, what you haven't cared about, what you've done—God's love is incapable of being ruined. This would imply weakness or unfaithfulness, which our faith does not characterize God with. And Christianity is firm that it is never too late to repent—meaning, to turn around and dedicate yourself to not going back. (God's love reaches the unrepentant as well, of course—it is a matter of whether we can see it and move through it, not whether it's there.) Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand—as in, it's always been here, it's happening now within you and your communities, and it will arrive.

Whatever changes you make and journeys you begin, God's love goes with you—it's not something we work toward having, but something we work toward honoring. It is hard to change habits—it's hard to change anything, and your dedication to thinking about this new part of your life is admirable.

I want to say don't get caught up in the smallest possible meanings of the commandments as you continue into Christianity, but I love that you are and that's not really the advice I want to give. What I mean is more, don't let this be a barrier. Every tiny thing is part of our lives, which means they can trip us up, be things to obsess over, be things we focus on to avoid other things, be areas we become perfectionist when that energy could be used more usefully. I am contributing to harm in countless ways that don't include swearing, and to be an imperfect human in this world, you are too. I give you permission to not let this be the hill you die on. Christianity calls us to be willing to die on so many hills, y'know? The enormity of our dedication can be overwhelming, but we move forward knowing the love of God is on our side.

The sacred Name has only ever been put into human words in the form of Jesus, and meeting him in both the sacred and ordinary is how I honor the Word. As I navigate the countless ways I exist and affect and am in relationship with the world, I come back to that. That true holiness can never be profaned, so I must not act as if it can be. When I find myself acting as if God could be hollow, I know I must turn back. I may embody this idea differently than you and others—we cannot all pay attention to everything at once. But I honor your commitment to the small things, and I pray that you live confident in the knowledge that nothing you have done or will do can stop God from entering into communion with you.

<3 Johanna

[sunnylandsworldwithwords]

No shame! here’s proper punctuation with a simple format and the dictionary definitions because i used to be that writer who was where some of you are now. 💖

1. Full stop

A full stop is the punctuation name for a mark that is used to show the end of a sentence, as shown in this punctuation example:

'Lucy went clothes shopping. She bought a lovely new skirt.'

Full stops are used to indicate that it is the end of a sentence, usually communicating a complete point or thought. It highlights a new sentence is about to begin.

2. Commas

Commas is the punctuation name for a mark that aregreat for breaking down sentences, combining two clauses or showing us when to pause.

'Despite the fact I hate maths, I quite like learning about fractions.'

This shows how commas can add emphasis and tell the reader when to pause. Sometimes, commas can be misplaced. This is called a comma splice, where two independent clauses are connected by a comma, when they should really be separated with a full stop or semi colon or connected with a connective.

3. Question marks

Question marks simply indicate that the speaker is asking a question. They're used at the end of question (or interrogative) sentences.

'Do you still want to keep your teddy bear?'

4. Exclamation marks

Exclamation marks is the punctuation name for a mark that can change the meaning and tone of a sentence. They still end a sentence, but they can add emotion - whether that's excitement, anger or nervousness!

'Look, it's a cat!'

'I'm so nervous about my SATs exams!'

'I can't believe you just said that!'

All three of these sentences convey very different emotions using an exclamation mark, so it can be confusing. Yet imagine if they used a full stop instead - these emotions would be much harder to read and understand.

A sentence which needs an exclamation mark is called an exclamatory sentence.

5. Colons

A colon is the punctuation name for a mark that is used to connect two clauses.

'Never go out in the sun without sunscreen: you#ll damage your skin.'

They're also great for introducing a list of three or more things.

'I'm visiting four cities this summer: Rome, Florence, Paris, and Seville.'

6. Semicolons

Semicolons get a bad reputation for being difficult, but in truth, they're super handy!

You can use a semicolon to join 2 main (or independent clauses) which have equal importance. For example,

'Katie was hungry; she hadn't eaten all day.'

Semicolons show a closer relationship between the clauses than a full stop would show.

7. Apostrophes

Apostrophe is a punctuation mark that can be quite confusing for many children, but it's really important that children learn how to use it properly.

Apostrophes are used to identify something that belongs to someone or to show a letter or multiple letters are missing from a word. Yet as simple as this sounds, many children and adults often misplace or forget apostrophes, even putting them somewhere they shouldn't be altogether. The following sentence shows how to use an apostrophe for contractions, where letters are missing from "were not", "of the clock" and "cannot".

"We weren't meant to leave before 4 O'clock, so we can't go yet."

Apostrophes can also be used to show the possessive form of a singular noun.

"The student's job was to make sure no one touched the pet rabbit's breakfast."

With plural nouns where the word already has an 's' at the end, an apostrophe just gets added at the end.

"The girls' toy truck had broken."

If the word is plural and doesn't have an 's' at the end, again one can be added.

"The women's business meeting had been delayed."

One of the most common misuses of apostrophes is putting them in words which are just plural and don't show possession or contraction. For example, words such as pencils, ghosts, houses, or guests never need an apostrophe.

8. Dash

A dash is the punctuation name for a mark that used to separate words into statements. There are two common types of dashes: en dash and em dash which vary in length. The en dash is twice as long as a hyphen and is most commonly used to signify a range between two words or numbers, for example the date range:

1990-2014.

Meanwhile,the em dash can be used in place of a comma, parenthesis, or colon to enhance readability or emphasize the conclusion of a sentence. For example:

She gave him her answer—No!

8. Hyphen

This list of punctuation marks isn't exhaustive, but it does contain the most commonly used punctuation marks with names. For example:

Sarah had a part-time job that she worked on a Saturday

9. Parentheses

A parenthesis is a word, phrase, or sentence that is inserted into writing as extra information using brackets, commas or dashes. For example:

'James (who was terrified of heights) was going to ride the biggest rollercoaster in the theme park

When a whole sentence is written inside a parenthesis then the full stop will be included inside the parenthesis, for example - Please read this story. (You'll be amazed.). However, if the majority of a sentence is written outside the parentheses, then the full stop should also be used on the outside, for example, You are late (aren't you?).

10. Brackets

Brackets is the punctuation name for a mark that is a curved symbol that looks like () and they are used to separate non-essential or additional information from a sentence. For example:

She finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that she didn’t understand the question.

11. Quotation marks

Quotation marks is the punctuation name for a mark that is the primary type of punctuation used in quotes. These are inverted commas that are used as either single (‘ ’) or double (“ ”) sets. They are used either to mark the beginning and end of a title or quoted passage. For example:

Walking across the beach Mary said, "the weather is very sunny today".

12. Ellipsis

An ellipsis(plural ellipses) is a punctuation mark made up of 3 dots. Ellipses are commonly used to indicate the omission of words, lines or paragraphs from a quoted passage. For example:

'Today...we are proud to announce our new product.'

Dictionary version [better version In my opinion]

What is a typographical symbol?

The term typographical symbol, or any other number of phrases, refers to a character or symbol that isn’t considered to be a punctuation mark but may still be used in writing for various purposes. Typographical symbols are generally avoided in formal writing under most circumstances. However, you may see typographic symbols used quite a bit in informal writing.

Typographical symbol examples

The following examples show some ways that a writer might use typographical symbols. Keep in mind that some of these sentences may not be considered appropriate in formal writing.

The frustrated actor said she was tired of her co-star’s “annoying bull****.”

For questions, email us at anascabana@bananacabanas.fake!

The band had five #1 singles on the American music charts during the 1990s.

My internet provider is AT&T.

Period (.)

A period is used to end a declarative sentence. A period indicates that a sentence is finished.

Today is Friday.

Unique to them, periods are also often used in abbreviations.

Prof. Dumbledore once again awarded a ludicrous amount of points to Gryffindor.

Question mark (?)

The question mark is used to end a question, also known as an interrogative sentence.

Do you feel lucky?

Exclamation point (!)

The exclamation point is used at the end of exclamations and interjections.

Our house is haunted!

Wow!

Comma, colon, and semicolon

Commas, colons, and semicolons can all be used to connect sentences together.

Comma (,)

The comma is often the punctuation mark that gives writers the most problems. It has many different uses and often requires good knowledge of grammar to avoid making mistakes when using it. Some common uses of the comma include:

Joining clauses: Mario loves Peach, and she loves him.

Nonrestrictive elements: My favorite team, the Fighting Mongooses, won the championship this year.

Lists: The flag was red, white, and blue.

Coordinate adjectives: The cute, happy puppy licked my hand.

Try out this quiz on the Oxford comma!

Colon (:)

The colon is typically used to introduce additional information.

The detective had three suspects: the salesman, the gardener, and the lawyer.

Like commas, colons can also connect clauses together.

We forgot to ask the most important question: who was buying lunch?

Colons have a few other uses, too.

The meeting starts at 8:15 p.m.

The priest started reading from Mark 3:6.

Semicolon (;)

Like the comma and the colon, the semicolon is used to connect sentences together. The semicolon typically indicates that the second sentence is closely related to the one before it.

I can’t eat peanuts; I am highly allergic to them.

Lucy loves to eat all kinds of sweets;lollipops are her favorite.

Hyphen and dashes (en dash and em dash)

All three of these punctuation marks are often referred to as “dashes.” However, they are all used for entirely different reasons.

Hyphen (-)

The hyphen is used to form compound words.

I went to lunch with my father-in-law.

She was playing with a jack-in-the-box.

He was accused of having pro-Britishsympathies.

En dash (–)

The en dash is used to express ranges or is sometimes used in more complex compound words.

The homework exercises are on pages 20–27.

The songwriter had worked on many Tony Award–winning productions.

Em dash (—)

The em dash is used to indicate a pause or interrupted speech.

The thief was someone nobody expected—me!

“Those kids will—” was all he managed to say before he was hit by a water balloon.

Test your knowledge on the different dashes here.

Parentheses, brackets, and braces

These pairs of punctuation marks look similar, but they all have different uses. In general, the parentheses are much more commonly used than the others.

Parentheses ()

Typically, parentheses are used to add additional information.

I thought (for a very long time) if I should actually give an honest answer.

Tomorrow is Christmas (my favorite holiday)!

Parentheses have a variety of other uses, too.

Pollution increased significantly. (See Chart 14B)

He was at an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting.

Richard I of England (1157–1199) had the heart of a lion.

Square brackets []

Typically, square brackets are used to clarify or add information to quotations.

According to an eyewitness, the chimpanzees “climbed on the roof and juggled [bananas].”

The judge said that “the defense attorney [Mr. Wright] had made it clear that the case was far from closed.”

Curly brackets {}

Curly brackets, also known as braces, are rarely used punctuation marks that are used to group a set.

I was impressed by the many different colors {red, green, yellow, blue, purple, black, white} they selected for the flag’s design.

Angle brackets <>

Angle brackets have no usage in formal writing and are rarely ever used even in informal writing. These characters have more uses in other fields, such as math or computing.

Quotation marks and apostrophe

You’ll find these punctuation marks hanging out at the top of a line of text.

Quotation marks (“”)

The most common use of quotation marks is to contain quotations.

She said, “Don’t let the dog out of the house.”

Bob Ross liked to put “happy little trees” in many of his paintings.

Apostrophe (‘)

The apostrophe is most often used to form possessives and contractions.

The house’s back door is open.

My cousin’s birthday is next week.

It isn’t ready yet.

We should’ve stayed outside.

Slash and ellipses

These are two punctuation marks you may not see too often, but they are still useful.

Slash (/)

The slash has several different uses. Here are some examples:

Relationships: The existence of boxer briefs somehow hasn’t ended the boxers/briefs debate.

Alternatives: They accept cash and/or credit.

Fractions: After an hour, 2/3 of the audience had already left.

Ellipses (…)

In formal writing, ellipses are used to indicate that words were removed from a quote.

The mayor said, “The damages will be …paid for by the city … as soon as possible.”

In informal writing, ellipses are often used to indicate pauses or speech that trails off.

He nervously stammered and said, “Look, I … You see … I wasn’t … Forget it, okay.”

I don’t do not own any information listed above. This can all be found on google/chrome/safari

Divider credits go to @cafekitsune

[spanishskulduggery]

Adjective Placement in Spanish Overview

With regards to adjective placement, I know I linked that bigger post I made about what the placement of adjectives generally mean but I'll give a very brief overview and if anyone has any specific questions please let me know.

IN GENERAL for like 70-ish percent of the time, adjectives go behind the noun in Spanish. These are your basic everyday adjectives that just describe nouns; el gato negro "the black cat", la mujer alta "the tall woman", los datos importantes "the important data", las tormentas peligrosas "the dangerous storms"

And again, IN GENERAL, if an adjective precedes the noun it is as if you bolded or italicized the adjective. It makes the adjective really stand out because of how out of the ordinary it is. It's very commonly used in poetry, writing, or for hyperbole:

La cruel realidad = The cruel reality La fea verdad = The ugly truth Mis sinceras disculpas = My sincere apologies Mi más sentido pésame = My most heartfelt condolences/regrets

If you were looking at it more poetically you could think of "blue sky"... el cielo azul "the blue sky" is everyday Spanish, very typical. Saying el azul cielo "the blue sky" draws the eye to azul making it seem like "blue" is the most important or noteworthy thing about it

You typically see this kind of construction in everyday Spanish with expressions of gratitude, grief, horror, deep love, or any very strong emotions or when you're trying to make an impact

(More below)

-

Note: This will impact certain aspects of grammar, such as the nouns that are actually feminine but take a general masculine article such as el agua, el arma, el hada, el hambre, el águila etc.

As an example:

El hada madrina = Fairy Godmother La buena hada = The good fairy

To further explain this rule - el hada is written with a masculine article. This is because it has its vocal stress on the first syllable and begins with A- or HA- [where H is silent]; and treating it as feminine would cause the sounds to run together, so the el adds a kind of phonetic break to preserve the sound; but in plural it will be las hadas "fairies/fey"

A word like this would still retain its normal functions as a feminine word, thus el agua bendita "holy water", el águila calva "bald eagle", el ave rapaz "bird of prey", and then in this case el hada madrina "fairy godmother"

By adding a separate word in front, you interrupt that la + A/HA construction and create a hiatus in the sounds already... so you can then treat it like a normal feminine noun, la buena hada "the good fairy"

You might also see this with grande "big" and its other form gran "great/large", el águila grande "the big eagle" vs. la gran águila "the great eagle"

-

Moving aside from the normal grammar, we now enter the exceptions. First - determiners.

There are a handful of adjectives that are known as determiners which come before the noun and they provide an important function in communicating things like number, possession, and location

The most common determiners include:

Definite articles [el, la, los, las]

Indefinite articles [un, una, unos, unas]

Possessives [mi, tu, su, nuestro/a, vuestro/a]

Demonstratives [este/esta, ese/esa/, aquel/aquella]

Interrogatives [qué, cuál/cuáles, cuánto/a] (Also work as exclamatory determiners which just means ¡! instead of ¿?)

Cardinal numbers [uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco etc]

Ordinal numbers [primer/primera, segundo/a, tercer/tercera, cuarto/a, quinto/a, etc]

There are also a few determiners of quantity such as mucho/a "a lot/many/much", todo/a "all/every", cada "each", vario/a "various/many", poco/a "few/less", tal "such", tan "so much" / tanto/a "so many", algún/alguna and ningún/ninguna etc.

And it will generally apply to más and menos "more" and "less", and sometimes mejor/peor "better/worse"

-

Note: With possessives is that there are two forms depending on adjective placement:

mi amigo/a = my friend mis amigos / amigas = my friends un amigo mío = a friend of mine una amiga mía = a friend of mine [f] unos amigos míos = a few friends of mine unas amigas mías = a few friends [f] of mine

All the pronouns have their own version of this possessive pattern

mi(s) and mío/a, tu(s) and tuyo/a, su(s) and suyo/a, and then nuestro/a and vuestro/a are the same but the adjective placement is different

As an example - nuestro país "our country" vs. el país nuestro "the country of ours", or nuestros familiares "our family members" vs. unos familiares nuestros "some family members of ours"

A common religious example - Nuestra Señora "Our Lady" and then el padrenuestro "the Our Father prayer"

The possessives that come after the noun are usually translated as "of mine/yours/his/hers/ours" etc.

You can also see a few determiners/adjectives in different places in a phrase like - un viejo amigo mío "an old friend of mine" vs. mi viejo amigo "my old friend"

-

As mentioned in the very beginning there are a handful of exceptions

Most notably:

viejo/a = old / elderly

antiguo/a = ancient, old / antique, old

mismo/a = same / self

gran = great, grand grande = large

And includes propio/a "own / appropriate", as well as bueno/a "good" or malo/a "bad". I discussed a lot of these in more depth in the previous posts and in the one linked above

In many cases the exact meaning is different, even if it's slight - such as el hotel grande "the big hotel" vs. el Gran Hotel "the Grand Hotel"

bueno/a and malo/a are generally either "good" and "kind", or "bad" and "unkind", though the meanings can kind of blur together... as something like la buena hada "the good fairy" isn't so far off from el hada buena "the nice fairy"

When places before though bueno/a turns to buen + masculine, and malo/a turns to mal + masculine

As an example - un buen augurio "good omen", un mal presagio "a bad omen/portent"

.....but in feminine it looks like you'd expect: buena suerte "good luck" vs. mala suerte

Similarly, and one I didn't include the first time is cualquier/cualquiera

cualquier persona = any person una persona cualquiera = an ordinary person

cualquier in front - regardless of gender - means "any", literally "whichever"

cualquiera in back comes out as "ordinary" or colloquially "any old" [such as un beso cualquiera "an ordinary kiss" / "any old kiss"], or in the case of people it could be like "a person of dubious/unknown background" sort of like "they could be anyone"...

-

And then you run into what I would consider "collocations" which is another word for a set noun or expression

There are some words/expressions that have the adjective in a specific place and you can't really change it or it sounds weird, so you sort of have to learn them as specific units to remember:

las bellas artes = fine arts [lit. "beautiful arts"]

(de) mala muerte = "backwater", "poor / middle of nowhere", a place of ill repute or somewhere very remote or inconsequential [lit. "of a bad death"]

a corto plazo = short-term

a largo plazo = long-term

(en) alta mar = (on) the high seas

alta calidad = high quality

baja calidad = low quality

Blancanieves = Snow White (the character/fairlytale)

la mala hierba, las malas hierbas = weeds [lit. "bad grasses"; plants that grow without you wanting them to or that grow in bad places etc]

los bajos fondos = criminal underworld [lit. "the low depths"]

el más allá = "the great beyond", "the afterlife" [lit. "the more over there/beyond"]

buen/mal augurio = good/bad omen buen/mal presagio = good/bad omen

buena/mala suerte = good/bad luck

...Also includes all the greetings like buen día / buenos días or buenas noches etc. they're all considered set phrases

There are also many collocations that use adjectives in their normal place that also can't be separated such as los frutos secos "nuts", or el vino tinto/banco "red/white wine" etc.

A collocation just means that they are treating multiple words as set phrases or a singular unit

And again, some history/geographical terms will have these as well:

la Gran Muralla China = Great Wall of China

la Primera Guerra Mundial = First World War

la Segunda Guerra Mundial = Second World War

el Sacro Imperio Romano = Holy Roman Empire

la Antigua Grecia = Ancient Greece

el Antiguo Egipto = Ancient Egypt (el) Alto Egipto = Upper Egypt (el) Bajo Egipto = Lower Egypt

Nueva York = New York

Nueva Zelanda = New Zealand

Nuevo México = New Mexico

Nueva Escocia = Nova Scotia [lit. "New Scotland"]

la Gran Manzana = the Big Apple [aka "New York"]

Buenos Aires

There are many such terms

[netscapenavigator-official]

Literally furious that a ‽ symbol exists and just never caught on. You’re telling me there’s a more streamlined way to ask exclamatory questions than this, and it just never caught on?!?!?! I’m so mad. English has the worst punctuations, I swear.

[koreanstudygram]

”-기는커녕”, ”-는구나”, ”-니/냐?”

-기는커녕, “far from ~ing / let alone,” second, -는구나, “it is really ~,” and third, -니/냐?, “is it ~?”

1. 기는커녕

This grammar is used to express the negation that if the first situation cannot happen, then the second situation, which is more uncomplicated or more straightforward, definitely cannot happen either.

You attach this grammar to verbs, adjectives, and nouns.

Verbs • Adjectives + 기는커녕

Nouns(without a final consonant) +는커녕 Nouns(with a final consonant) +은커녕

First, -기는커녕 means “instead of, let alone, never mind.”

“Far from …, let alone …,” “Not even …, much less ….” It highlights that the first, easier thing is already impossible or untrue, so the following statement—usually stronger or more extreme—goes without saying.

How to form:

Verb stem + -기는커녕 Noun + 은(는)커녕

Nuance: Very emphatic. The clause before -기는커녕 is typically negative (explicitly or implicitly) and sets up a contrast that intensifies in the second clause.

Examples

운동하기는커녕 집 밖에도 안 나가고 있어. “I don’t even go outside, let alone exercise.”

월급을 모으기는커녕 빚만 늘었어요. “Far from saving my salary, I’ve only racked up more debt.”

그 영화는 재미는커녕 지루하기만 했어. “That movie was boring—entertaining it was not.”

More Examples

Example 1 저는 공부를 잘하기는커녕 학교도 잘 안 가는데요. I am far from being able to study well, let alone go to school.

Here, 공부를 잘하다 means “to study well.” You attach -기는커녕 to the stem to make 공부를 잘하기는커녕, “far from being able to study well.”

Example 2 어제 선을 봤는데 그 사람은 멋있기는커녕 매너도 없었어. Yesterday, I went on an arranged date, but he had no manners, let alone be good-looking.

Example 3 어제는 너무 바빠서 잠은커녕 샤워도 못 했어요. I was so busy that I could not take a shower, let alone sleep.

2. 는구나

Verbs + 는구나

Adjectives + 구나

Nouns(without a final consonant) + 구나 Nouns(with a final consonant) + 이구나

[Past tense] Verbs • Adjectives + 았/었구나 Nouns + 였/이었구나

The second grammar, -는구나 means “(sub) is really ~” or “(sub) is actually ~” in a casual way of speaking. You mainly use this expression in conversations.

This grammar conveys surprise about a newly learned fact.

What it does:

Exclamatory ending used when the speaker realises something new, is surprised, or re-confirms a fact. Comparable to “Oh, so…,” “I see that…,” “Wow, …!”

For verbs, you attach -는구나 to the verb stem. For example, 가다 will be 가는구나 “you are going!” 먹다 “to eat” will be 먹는구나 “you are eating!”

For adjectives, you attach -구나 to the word stem as it is.

For nouns, you attach -(이)구나, depending on a final consonant.

The use of the past tense is the same for verbs and adjectives. It is going to be -았/었구나. For the past tense of nouns, you use -이었/였구나, depending upon a final consonant.

How to form:

Action verb stem + -는구나 (present) Past: -았/었구나  Future / guess: -겠구나 Descriptive verbs & copula (이다): stem + -구나 (no -는).

Register: Informal, plain style—used toward oneself, younger people, close friends, children. Not used toward seniors or in formal writing.

Examples

여기가 네 방이구나! “Oh, so this is your room!”

벌써 벚꽃이 피는구나. “Wow, the cherry blossoms are already blooming.”

네가 그렇게 요리를 잘 하는구나. “I didn’t realise you cooked that well!”

Example 1 희진이가 공부를 잘하는구나. 우리 아들은 공부를 잘 못 해요. Hejin can study well. My son is not good at learning.

Example 2 고양이는 참 귀엽구나. 나도 키워 보고 싶다. Cats are adorable. I want to have one as a pet, too.

Example 3 유미는 일본사람이었구나. 한국어를 너무 잘해서 한국사람인 줄 알았지. Yumi was Japanese! Her Korean was so good that I thought she was Korean.

3. 니/냐? (informal question endings)

However, there is a slight difference in nuance. Korean people tend to use ‘-니?’ when they ask with familiarity.

-냐? has a slightly blunt nuance that men usually use. In an insufficient context, it could sound like a speaker looks down on a listener. So, you need to be careful.

You can use ‘-니/냐?’ for verbs, adjectives, and nouns. In the case of verbs and adjectives, you attach -니/냐? to the word stems.

For example, 가다 “to go” will be 가니 “do you go?” 먹다 “to eat” will be 먹니? “do you eat?”

For nouns, you use -(이)니 or -(이)냐? depending on whether a noun has the final consonant or not.

Verbs • Adjectives + 니?/냐?

Nouns(without a final consonant) + 니?/냐? Nouns(with a final consonant) + 이니?/이냐?

[Past tense] Verbs + 았/었니? Verbs + 았/었냐?

The last grammar, ‘-니/냐?’ “is it ~?” conveys a query in casual conversations.

What they do:

Ask questions in plain, intimate speech.

How to form:

Verb / adjective stem + -니 or -냐 (present)/ Past: -았/었니, -았/었냐/ Future: -겠니, -겠냐

Nuance:

•-니 feels slightly softer; traditionally more common among women and in written dialogue, but widely used by all genders today. • -냐 sounds rougher or more blunt; frequently used by men, elders to juniors, or in rhetorical questions (“Who cares?”). • Neither ending is polite—use only with close friends, juniors, or in internal monologue.

Ending Sentence Translation -니 어디 가니? “Where are you going?” -니 숙제 다 했 니? “Have you finished all your homework?” -냐 왜 그렇게 늦었 냐? “Why are you so late?” (sharp tone) -냐 내가 너보다 못할 것 같으냐? “You think I’m worse than you?” (rhetorical)

Example 1 요새 한국어 공부하니? 방에 한국어 책이 있던데? Have you been studying Korean recently? You had Korean books in your room.

Example 2 이번에 새로 데뷔한 아이돌 어때? 멋있냐? How is the new idol who made his debut this time? Is he cool?

Example 3 지금 마시고 있는 게 뭐야? 콜라니? 커피니? What is it that you are drinking now? Is it coke? Or coffee?

Example 4 밥 먹었니? Did you eat something?

[gwendolynlerman]

Russian grammar

Члены предложения (parts of the sentence)

Название (name) - Вопрос (questions) - Как подчёркивайся (how to emphasize it) - Чем выражен (how is it expressed)

Подлежащее (subject) - кто?, что? (who?, what?) - прямая линия (straight line) - существительные, местоимение (nouns, pronouns)

Сказуемое (predicate) - что делает?, каков?, кто такой? (do what?, what?, who is?) - двойная линия (double line) - глаголы, краткие прилагательные, существительные (verbs, short forms of adjectives, nouns)

Определение (modifiers) - какой?, чей? (which?, whose?) - волнистая линия (wavy line) - прилагательные, местоимение, числительные (adjectives, pronouns, numerals)

Дополнение (object) - кого?, чего? (косвенный падеж) (whom?, what? [oblique case]) - пунктирная линия (dashed line) - существительные, местоимение (nouns, pronouns)

Обстоятельство (adverbials) - как?, когда? (how?, when?) - пунктирная линия с точками (dashed line with dots) - наречия, существительные с предлогом (adverbs, prepositional phrases)

(Повествовательное, невосклицательное, простое, двусоставное, распространённое, не осложнённое предложение)

(Declarative, non-exclamatory, simple, two-part, extended, uncomplicated sentence)

Весной цветёт душистая сирень. (In spring, fragrant lilacs bloom.)

Дикие животные живут в лесах и полях. (Wild animals live in the forests and fields.)

В пруду быстро плавают зеркальные карпы. (Mirror carp swim quickly in the pond.)

Незаметно пролетело жаркое лето. (The hot summer has flown by unnoticed.)

В лужах мокнут осенние листья. (Autumn leaves are soaking in puddles.)

В доме поселились страшные великаны. (Scary giants settled in the house.)

Голубая чашка стояла на столе. (A blue cup stood on the table.)

Рыжая белка прыгала с ветки на ветку. (A red squirrel was jumping from branch to branch.)

Громко квакают лягушки на болоте. (The frogs were croaking loudly in the swamp.)

Однажды в дверь постучал незнакомый человек. (One day a stranger knocked on the door.)

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[wisdomfish]

The Enigma of Man

One central reality is the enigma of man himself, described by Blaise Pascal in exclamatory terms,

“What sort of freak then is man! How novel, how monstrous, how chaotic, how paradoxical, how prodigious! Judge of all things, feeble earthworm; repository of truth, sink of doubt and error; glory and refuse of the universe!

According to Pascal, man is a strange mixture of “greatness and wretchedness.” Man’s greatness is exhibited in his unique ability, as a reflective thinker, to recognize his wretchedness.

The Christian theistic worldview explains man’s paradoxical nature by asserting that man’s greatness is a direct result of the imago Dei [image of God]. As a creature made in the image and likeness of God, man reflects the glory of his Maker. Though certainly in a finite way, man nevertheless exhibits certain God-like characteristics.

The wretchedness, on the other hand, can be traced to the first human beings’ fall into sin [Genesis 3]. Original sin is the biblical doctrine that the entire human race has inherited sinfulness, guilt, and moral corruption from Adam, [Ps. 51:5; 58:3; Rom. 5:12, 18-19; 1Co. 15:22].

This ‘enigma of man’ is highlighted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:14-25 where he speaks of a conflict between two natures

“We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am a creature of the flesh [worldly, self-reliant—carnal and unspiritual], sold into slavery to sin [and serving under its control]. For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. Now if I habitually do what I do not want to do, [that means] I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good (morally excellent). So now [if that is the case, then] it is no longer I who do it [the disobedient thing which I despise], but the sin [nature] which lives in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not. For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me.

So I find it to be the law [of my inner self], that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully delight in the law of God in my inner self [with my new nature], but I see a different law and rule of action in the members of my body [in its appetites and desires], waging war against the law of my mind and subduing me and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is within my members. Wretched and miserable man that I am! Who will [rescue me and] set me free from this body of death [this corrupt, mortal existence]? Thanks be to God [for my deliverance] through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind serve the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness, my sinful capacity—I serve] the law of sin.”

~ Samples, Kenneth Richard. ‘Without a Doubt: Answering the 20 Toughest Faith Questions. p. 77

[affluent-english]

The Basics of Intonation: What Is It and Why Does It Matter

Intonation is a key element in language and communication that helps to convey meaning, emotion, and nuance. It is the rise and fall of pitch in spoken language, adding a musical quality to our words. Intonation shapes the way we understand and interpret spoken language whether we realize it or not. This blog will explore the basics of intonation, what it is, how it works and why it is important for effective communication. You can also go for opting English Online courses, English online classes and English professional course. 

I. Defining Intonation

Intonation at its core refers to the variation in pitch during speech. It involves the rise and fall of the voice, creating a melodic pattern that contributes to the overall expression of a message. Unlike individual sounds or words, intonation operates on a broader level, influencing the meaning of entire sentences or phrases.

A. Pitch and Melody

Pitch is an essential part of intonation. It refers to how high or low a sound seems to be with high pitches corresponding to high frequencies while low pitches correspond to low frequencies. In speech context, melody is created by the pattern of pitch variations which are musical in nature. Understanding these elements is crucial to grasping the intricacies of intonation.

II. How Intonation Works

Pitch, stress, and rhythm interact carefully to create intonation. Tonal subtleties can differ between languages and even between several dialects of the same language. On the other hand, intonation operates according to some broad principles.

A. Sentiment at the sentence level

Declarative Sentences: Declarative sentences usually end with a falling intonation pattern in English and many other languages. This descending pitch denotes the conclusion of a sentence or idea.

Interrogative Sentences: The final part of questions frequently has a rising tone. This increasing pitch signals the speaker’s hesitancy or need for more information and elicits a response.

Exclamatory Sentences: A rising and falling intonation pattern is used to convey powerful emotions or exclamations. This expresses heightened emotion and emphasizes a point.

World-level Intonation 

Emphasis and contrast: You can use intonation to draw attention to particular words or to contrast ideas in a statement. Speakers can draw attention to key details and assist listeners in understanding the intended meaning by varying the pitch.

Expression of Emotion: Tonality is a key component in the communication of emotion. Whereas a depressing or serious tone could have a lower, more monotone pitch, a happy or exuberant tone frequently has a higher pitch and varied melody.

III. The Significance of Tone in Conversation

A. Expressing Feeling and Intent

Emotional Nuances: Speakers can convey emotion through intonation. Pitch fluctuations can be used to communicate excitement, surprise, or disappointment in a single line.

Intent and Attitude: Our words are not as important as how we express them. Accentuation plays a crucial role in conveying attitude by revealing a speaker’s true, sarcastic, passionate, or neutral tone.

B. Clarifying Meaning

Differentiating Between Statements and Questions: Declarative statements and interrogative questions can be distinguished from one another using intonation. Understanding the speaker’s aim requires an awareness of this nuanced distinction.

Preventing Ambiguity: Speakers can avoid misunderstanding and guarantee that their messages are understood correctly by their audience by employing appropriate intonation patterns.

Implications for Culture and Society

Regional Variations: Different cultures and locations might have very different intonation patterns. It is necessary to comprehend these differences in order to communicate across cultures effectively.

Social Dynamics: Learning proper intonation can increase participation and trustworthiness in specific social situations, such formal presentations or job interviews.

IV. Useful Advice for Boosting Intonation

A. Active Listening 

Sensitivity to Pitch: Replicating and understanding various intonation patterns becomes easier when one learns to listen for subtle differences in pitch during regularly discussions.

Practice imitating the intonation of native speakers to improve your own rhythm and pitch modulation.

B. Recording and Self-Evaluation

Record Yourself: You can learn a lot about your intonation patterns and places for improvement by recording yourself and listening to the playback afterwards.

Seek Feedback: To obtain a second opinion on your intonation abilities, ask colleagues or language experts for their opinions.

C. Intonation Exercises

Tongue Twisters: Practice tongue twisters that concentrate on rhythm and pitch to help you become more flexible and in control of your intonation.

Pitch Drills: Work on your pitch accuracy and range by practicing pitch workouts.

V. The Role of Intonation in Language Development

A. Early Language Acquisition

Infants and intonation: Long before they are able to understand words, infants begin to pick up on intonation patterns. Their early exposure provides the basis for their understanding of language.

Parental Influence: When speaking to infants, parents and other caregivers frequently employ an exaggerated tone of voice, which draws their attention and promotes language development.

B. Language Learning

Acquisition of Second Language: Since several languages may have unique intonation patterns, intonation can be difficult for speakers of second languages to master. However, becoming fluent and producing natural-sounding speech in a foreign language requires command of intonation.

Language and Cognitive Skills: Research indicates that intonation and cognitive skills are related, suggesting that people who are proficient in intonation may have better language processing capabilities.

VI. The Art of Public Speaking

A. Captivating Audiences

Engaging Delivery: Skilled public speakers are aware of how tone may keep listeners interested. Pitch and rhythm fluctuations keep listeners interested and focused.

Expression Conviction: Speakers can communicate confidence and conviction by using intonation. A speaker’s conviction in their message can be emphasized and essential points emphasized with a well-modulated voice.

B. Impactful Presentations

Storytelling: A crucial component of storytelling is intonation. Effective use of intonation improves the narrative and connects with the audience, whether you’re telling a personal story or giving a keynote talk.

Persuasion and Influence: Tone can be used as a persuasive strategy while speaking persuasively. Pitch modulation and passion conveying are powerful tools for changing people’s minds and inspiring action.

VII. The Science Behind Intonation

A. Neurological Perspectives

Brain Processing: Neuroscience research indicates that intonation has a distinct function in communication since the brain interprets it differently from other linguistic components.

Emotional Centers: The brain’s emotional centers are connected to intonation. This relationship could help to explain why listeners react differently to different intonation patterns.

B. Cross-Cultural Studies

Universality and variance: Although intonation may share some characteristics with other cultures, there is also a great deal of cultural variance. Studies on cross-cultural communication examine how intonation is used in various communities to express meaning and emotion.

Evolutionary Perspectives: According to some academics, intonation may have developed as a way for early human communities to communicate social cues and emotional states, which helped them survive.

VIII. Challenges in Intonation Recognition Technology

A. Speech Recognition Software

Limitations: Speech recognition software still has trouble correctly interpreting intonation despite technological developments. Applications like language learning platforms and virtual assistants face difficulties due to this constraint.

Future Developments: Research is continuously being conducted to strengthen robots’ ability to identify and mimic human intonation, which could lead to improved human-computer interaction.

IX. The Evolution of Intonation in Languages

A. Historical Shifts

Language Change: Over time, societal shifts, technical breakthroughs, and migratory patterns can all have an impact on intonation patterns.

Generational Differences: New intonation patterns may be adopted by younger generations, which could lead to linguistic changes within a group.

B. Globalization’s Impact

Cross-Cultural Exchange: As a result of increased travel and technological contact worldwide, intonation has been influenced by other cultures. A more interwoven linguistic landscape may result from the spread of some linguistic traits across national boundaries.

Preservation of Intonation: Recognizing the cultural significance of this aspect of communication, efforts are made to document and preserve indigenous languages by capturing their distinctive intonation patterns.

X. The Future of Intonation Studies

A. Interdisciplinary Research

Psychology and Linguistics: Researchers in both fields are working together to improve our knowledge of the cognitive and psychological components of intonation.

Technological Integration: As technology develops, intonation studies may become even more integrated into virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and language learning platforms.

B. Pedagogical Applications

Educational Initiatives: Educating students about intonation can improve their communicative skills and comprehension of different cultures.

Linguistic Research: Progress in linguistic theory and practice will be facilitated by ongoing investigations into the functions of intonation in language acquisition, cognition, and cross-cultural communication.

To sum things up, intonation is an essential component of spoken language that has a big impact on communication. Gaining an understanding of its function in meaning, feeling, and aim enables people to communicate more effectively. One can improve spoken communication skills and create more impactful and clearer interactions by learning the fundamentals of intonation and applying them to everyday language practice. The importance of intonation in personal, business, and cross-cultural interactions cannot be emphasized. It is about more than just what we say; it’s about how we connect with one other, express ourselves, and weave our way through the complex web of human communication.

SOURCE URL: https://affluentenglish.com/the-basics-of-intonation-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter/

[dankusner]

Sentence Structure

Types of Sentences

1. Form:

How to construct a sentence.

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought.)

a. Simple: A sentence with one independent clause and no dependent clauses. i.

Ex.: The writer sits at her desk.

b. Compound: A sentence with multiple independent clauses but no dependent clauses. i. Ex.: The writer sits at her desk, and the blank screen stares back at her.

c. Complex:

A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

i.

Ex.: After sitting at her desk for hours, the writer stares at her screen, still blank.

d. Compound-complex:

A sentence with multiple independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

i. Ex.: After sitting at her desk for hours, the writer stares at her screen, blank and obscured by the hot tears streaming down her face.

2.

Function:

The purpose a sentence serves. a. Declarative: The declarative sentence makes a statement or assertion. i.

Ex.: Writing is hard.

b. Imperative:

The imperative sentence gives a command. i. Ex.: Don't think, just write.

c. Exclamatory: The exclamatory sentence shows strong emotion. i. Ex.: I love to write.

d. Interrogative: The interrogative sentence asks a question. i. Ex.: Is writing really that hard, or does it just take lots of time and attention?a