Page 6 | Are full stops passive aggressive?

Samas · 2025-09-07T21:16:30+00:00

Are full stops really passive-aggressive now? According to my colleague they are, especially in text messages. Apparently, ending a sentence correctly is no longer “neutral” but somehow comes across as cold or hostile. yabu= full stops are indeed PA yanbu= of course they’re not

cariadlet · 08/09/2025 00:02

I came across this idea on a podcast last year and rolled my eyes at it but it seems to be a generational divide. I'm middle aged, have always used correct punctuation and I'm not going to stop now.

I'm also a primary school teacher and it seems as though I spend my life reminding children to use capital letters and full stops. It so often feels like I'm banging my head against a brick wall.

I could weep with frustration at the thought that as soon as children are set loose on social media or messaging apps then they merrily jettison everything that teachers have spent years trying to drum into them.

IchiNiSanShiGo · 08/09/2025 00:01

Your. Colleague. Is. Wrong.

AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment · 08/09/2025 00:00

Carrotsurprise · 07/09/2025 23:52

The only people I know who put full stops at the end of messages are boomers or a couple of my friends who are autistic. The most socially acceptable way of ending a short message is an x, at least among women.

I'm refusing to give in to that one. I am not ending my Teams messages with an x, I'm just not.

I'd struggle to send some of my work colleagues kisses in a birthday card, so doing it in Teams is right out.

murasaki · 07/09/2025 23:59

GleisZwei · 07/09/2025 23:57

Um, what now?
I absolutely cannot stand a 'x' from anyone other than very close family/friends!

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Totally. I put up with it from my best friend, but at least she puts a full stop before it. 🤣

ErrolTheDinosaur · 07/09/2025 23:58

Carrotsurprise · 07/09/2025 23:52

The only people I know who put full stops at the end of messages are boomers or a couple of my friends who are autistic. The most socially acceptable way of ending a short message is an x, at least among women.

boomers?

whitewineandsun · 07/09/2025 23:58

GladioliGreen · 07/09/2025 22:26

According to my teenagers they are. They asked me not to put full stops in my texts to them because it makes it seem like I'm mad at them.

This is baffling. Do they explain why?

GleisZwei · 07/09/2025 23:57

Carrotsurprise · 07/09/2025 23:52

The only people I know who put full stops at the end of messages are boomers or a couple of my friends who are autistic. The most socially acceptable way of ending a short message is an x, at least among women.

Um, what now?
I absolutely cannot stand a 'x' from anyone other than very close family/friends!

HevenlyMeS · 07/09/2025 23:56

Lovely message 🤗

murasaki · 07/09/2025 23:56

AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment · 07/09/2025 23:55

Indeed, I'm sure it was! But think about how you usually feel when you're absolutely at the end of your tether and your rage has built and built as you type your reply. As you approach to the scorching conclusion of the message, don't you thump/press the full stop or question mark at the end of the final sentence with a bit of extra verve and vigour?

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No, my rage is cold. Sorry to disappoint.

murasaki · 07/09/2025 23:55

Anxiety over a full stop. Truly it is the end of times.

AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment · 07/09/2025 23:55

murasaki · 07/09/2025 23:39

Yes, of course. But the use of a full stop was not the indicator of annoyance, the content was.

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Indeed, I'm sure it was! But think about how you usually feel when you're absolutely at the end of your tether and your rage has built and built as you type your reply. As you approach to the scorching conclusion of the message, don't you thump/press the full stop or question mark at the end of the final sentence with a bit of extra verve and vigour?

InterestedDad37 · 07/09/2025 23:55

SoloSofa24 · 07/09/2025 22:22

Apparently so, if you are under 30 and it's in a text/whatsapp/snapchat/whatever message.

I still use punctuation in most of my text messages, even to my 20-something DCs, but I am ancient.

👆👆👆
What SoloSofa24 said.
Yes, it's just a different kind of msg etiquette popular with the young'uns. I'm ancient, but I know these things 🙂

HevenlyMeS · 07/09/2025 23:53

Yes😅I most surely did indeed, use way too much commas! Lol. And it's great that you expressed, "in your opinion".
Also, how refreshingly lovely, that you didn't put a fullstop! 😅

Isittimeformynapyet · 07/09/2025 23:53

Hillarious · 07/09/2025 22:37

Perhaps it’s best those of us over 30 don’t send emails to those under 30 . . . if there’s any chance our punctuation prowess might cause offence.

This isn't about emails, it's clearly about texting.

And it seems lots of posters have missed the detail that it's about the full stop at the end of the last sentence in the text message. Full stops in the body of the message don't cause the kids the same anxiety. Apparently

Carrotsurprise · 07/09/2025 23:52

The only people I know who put full stops at the end of messages are boomers or a couple of my friends who are autistic. The most socially acceptable way of ending a short message is an x, at least among women.

bumblingbovine49 · 07/09/2025 23:50

GleisZwei · 07/09/2025 23:38

The odd rogue one or two in a long message isn't the same as deliberately.punctuating.every.word.
I'm sure you're fine. 😀

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Phew!!

murasaki · 07/09/2025 23:48

If they stop using punctuation in everyday communication, it's likely to filter through to work, as a pp said. And it doesn't look good.

NoWordForFluffy · 07/09/2025 23:47

AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment · 07/09/2025 23:44

No-one made it up as a rule. It's an observation of human behaviour and communication over social media and messaging apps in the English speaking world.

For some reason, people tend not to use full stops on the last ine of a message on WhatsApp, etc. When they do revert to using full stops, the change in behaviour indicates frustration/annoyance/desire to end the conversation.

People (apart from Steve at work!) have eyes and brains and sometimes they use them to identify patterns in human behaviour.

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I just think someone accidentally missed it off if there's no full stop. I certainly don't think the presence of a full stop is aggressive.

People are weird. Just use punctuation normally, folks!

ErrolTheDinosaur · 07/09/2025 23:45

NotAhotWeatherPerson · 07/09/2025 23:20

No, it's not. My kids know I use full stops and it doesn't mean anything negative. I get that language does evolve and have no problem with it really. However, younger generations are going to have to understand the older generations might use a full stop without it meaning they are mad or closing the conversation.

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Quite. Your kids aren’t being blinkered ageists.

AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment · 07/09/2025 23:44

NoWordForFluffy · 07/09/2025 23:35

Who made this rule up then? And successfully spread it round so people actually follow it? Maybe they could put their persuasive powers to better use and promote world peace instead!

No-one made it up as a rule. It's an observation of human behaviour and communication over social media and messaging apps in the English speaking world.

For some reason, people tend not to use full stops on the last ine of a message on WhatsApp, etc. When they do revert to using full stops, the change in behaviour indicates frustration/annoyance/desire to end the conversation.

People (apart from Steve at work!) have eyes and brains and sometimes they use them to identify patterns in human behaviour.

murasaki · 07/09/2025 23:44

GleisZwei · 07/09/2025 23:42

My mum cannot text at all.
I do wonder what might appear if she started trying.
She prefers to speak to us but doesn't mind us texting her with info or updates.

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Haha, it could be hilarious. Like the day my dad discovered emojis. I still don't have a clue what he was trying to say.

Isittimeformynapyet · 07/09/2025 23:43

HevenlyMeS · 07/09/2025 23:16

Yes, I concur that we do need some punctuation-The point I was making, is that individuals, have their own unique style of writing-It's the tone of a message, which matters most -
So, for example, I used an old friend's usual writing style - She only ever, adds a fullstop at the end of a sentence, when she's upset! Like where it states in the Bible, that God judges us on our hearts-I'm saying it's the vibe, of a message, which is more imperative, than mere punctuation! I'm not saying that all punctuation, is unimportant! Some have misunderstood where I was coming from...

You do know that you've used way too many commas in your post, don't you?

In my opinion, of course

.

GleisZwei · 07/09/2025 23:42

NoWordForFluffy · 07/09/2025 23:40

My mum used to put a + between each word as she hadn't found the space bar on her phone. 🙈🤣

My mum cannot text at all.
I do wonder what might appear if she started trying.
She prefers to speak to us but doesn't mind us texting her with info or updates.

UnintentionalArcher · 07/09/2025 23:42

Rightandwrong · 07/09/2025 23:18

I honestly cannot believe that every single communication has to be scrutinised and analysed to guess the psychological state of the sender.
Absolute madness.
Paranoia rules.
Just use proper punctuation all the time and there isn't an issue is there?

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I think @AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment explains this well. I would usually use proper punctuation in a longer message but wouldn’t use a full stop after a message that just said ‘no’. I might use an exclamation mark, if there was something to exclaim.

What I think is being missed here (not by Aston but generally) is that ‘No’ on its own is not a sentence. A sentence needs a subject and verb, so ‘ask Anna’, for example, is a fragment in which the subject is implied (as in ‘You should ask Anna’). While it’s typical to use full stops after fragments (once you know the rules, you can break them), I don’t think this typically extends to ‘no’ on its own in a text messaging context.

So, having said above that I find this idea ridiculous, I can actually see occasions when it could be seen as passive aggressive (though not many, to be honest).

Account734 · 07/09/2025 23:41

What the hell is wrong with young people these days? Passive aggressive punctuation? They need to get a grip. I can't deal with this level of pathetic.