Are full stops passive aggressive?

[Samas]

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

Younger people are always going to take a new twist on things, but they'll also be able to realise some things are generational or cultural. I don't add kisses to my text, even to DH, but everyone knows I'm very fond of them because they know me as a person, even if they usually do kisses.

I find the fact that they are using hyphens instead of full stops really distracts me from following their meaning. It's like they are trying too hard not to use a full stop to prove them unnecessary ro the point that they have proved the absolute opposite.

I agree with PP that intention is important and so is context and meaning.

I agree with PP that in a casual text with family or friends using a full stop at the end of a text can appear unfriendly/censorious if it is chosen rather than a kiss, a heart emoji or similar.

In a work context, however, none of those other options would be appropriate and an email requires a different level of formality than a text. I think of if as being more similar to a letter than a text so I would be using full stops in my work emails wherever grammatically correct.

IMO anyone who interprets that as passive aggressive is confusing the grammar and punctuation suitable for formal, work emails with what they are familiar with in casual texting.

I would try to explain this to them gently.

I would also forewarn them that other workers over the age of 40 may habitually follow the grammatically conventions of their youth, full stops and all, without meaning anything other than that they are conscientious in their written communication. It's not unlike having to remember that when Granny says 'wireless' she means 'radio.'

I see what you did there saraclara.

No. She was telling me because she thought another colleague was upset or annoyed with her.

It’s a real problem when something creeps into the workplace, and
a grown adult cannot cope with the use of proper punctuation without getting upset about it.

Sadly, I think you’ve missed my point. It is exactly because people are starving that I cannot see any reason why. Should be garnering so much attention. Young people are the ones who need to grow a spine and stop being so easily offended. They will never cope with adult life ever. Causes so much distress. Hunger, war and genuine hurt or what matters.

Then he's a twat, frankly. Younger people need to get a feckin' GRIP.

If i finish a text message to my DP with a full stop, he phones me to see why im cross with him

This is ridiculous. How does this man cope with life?

If I'm typing a text or a whatsapp message I will very frequently not end it on a full stop. I will write a paragraph on there and use proper punctuation but frequently would not end with a full stop. If I was just sending a short reply I wouldn't. Like if a friend messaged me and said, "are you free for a drink?" I wouldn't reply "No." or "Yes." I'd say, "Oh yes, when?" or "Sorry, can't tonight" but I'd not use full stops. I do think it seems passive aggressive sometimes but it does really depend on context.

In work emails or anything work related I don't think of it as passive aggressive. I'm not crying in the corner if I read proper punctuation.

For context, I am in my late 30s, not "gen z" or whatever everyone is complaining about.

I do find it funny when there is zero nuance with conversations like this. Apparently everyone is just PC and woke and can't handle a full stop. I mean, it really isn't that serious. Just anything to bash younger people and call everyone a melt I guess.

Today I got messages from a new colleague who ended every sentence with two full stops. I wasn't sure how to interpret this, especially as she's older than me.

i used to get messages from someone who would leave a space, then put a full stop then start the next sentence without leaving a space. No idea what that was about!

Is it only p.a if you end the text with a full stop or are full stops no longer allowed in any part of a text?

If so, how the hell are you supposed to make sense of any message that is longer than a couple of sentence?

No, in answer to@Samas's question.

Regarding exclamation marks, I don't understand exclamation marks when people use more than one (!) after a comment. I find !!! or !!!!!!! confusing, I wish they'd use their words.

Only at the very end of the message. Of course you use full stops in the body of the message, when it's more than one sentence!

Would anyone else probably not notice whether or not there was a full stop at the end of a sentence?

For a multi-sentence message, of course you need punctuation. They can be considered PA when used at the end of brief messeages.

"Sure" vs "Sure."

"I'm fine" vs "I'm fine."

"Thanks" vs "Thanks." and alike.

It's about the context of the medium, along with the fact that the end of the message itself is sufficient to signal the end of the message. It's similar to how you needn't start each message in chat with a greeting and end each one with a formal sign off. Introducing formality into an informal medium can draw scrutiny, particularly where the sender doesn't typically do so.

My Dad sends ‘Okay.’ as text messages and it is like a whiplash.

Full stops are ‘passive-aggressive’? What utter bunkum!

Without correct punctuation, the written word can become open to misunderstanding.

Anyone who is offended by normal punctuation should get a grip.

My mum sends the letter K, that's it - nothing else. It drives me bananas. You'd swear you had to pay by letter, even when text mage sizes were restricted to 140 characters I don't think you paid by then letter.

My mum leaves two spaces after a full stop. Says it's how she was taught in her RSA Word Processing exams in the 80s.

Only. if. You're , a snowflake...

No.
Sometimes I catch myself lazily leaving them off but now I am going to be punctilious about using them.

Without correct punctuation, the written word can become open to misunderstanding.
Only a profoundly stupid person would be confused by the stylistic norm of omitting full stops from the end of brief text messages.

What a load of tripe.

yes, I am aware of this, it’s in same category as text in CAPITAL is shouting
text is an informal medium it doesn’t need to follow spag rules and I get that some think a full stop is blunt & direct

They are 😭😭, they come across as rude imo