Is it "?!" or "!?" ?

[Nemain]

Wen typing something and you want to put an exclamation mark as well as a question mark, is it:

?!

OR

!?

?!

?!

Although I rather suspect it is not pedantically correct to use either and you should choose just the ?.

it's neither

you use either or not both together

it's either a question in which case use ?

or an exclamation in which case use !

not both

one is interrogative and the other is statement

But it looks horrible either way. Never ever use more than one (OMG????!!!!WTF???!!!!) because it makes you look fourteen.

Ah, I see

agrees with BitofFun - either 14 or deranged

One of each is okay to express a shocked question.

Multiple exclamation marks are the sign of a diseased mind. Poor Terry.

Whilst I agree that you should use one or the other, I do think "WTF is she doing?" is better conveyed by "WTF is she doing?!" The latter conveys a full sense of horror.

I prefer ?!

I couldn't possibly leave out the ? if it were a question.

I'm also pretty sure that it's WHEN not WEN

So the exchange could go something like this:

"I was, like, so excited I literally exploded!!!!!"

"Five exclamation marks?!"

well I am probably deranged but not 14, I use it in casual exchanges

and I think that it rather depends on what you want to emphasise

If you are more stating a point and then drawing others to see your point is correct or exclaiming at something idiotic then I think '!?' is the way to go

if you are asking a question or interrogating in an enthusiastic why or asking rhetorically then I would go for '?!'

The '?' first can also be indicative of having doubts re the comment and the '!' first indicates you are a little more confident and expect others to agree

Totally deranged theory, I know..

Oh scrudd, I didn't even notice my spelling error!

I blame my keyboard not registering certain keys unless you bash them

So we agree that many ?????? and !!!!!! are juvenile and unnecessary.

Panel still split on the use of ? with ! I see.

I have used them together and see others doing it too. The reason I asked as there seems to be no set way that they are used.

I like the reasoning given on these posts though. Thanks!

I go for ?! because the question mark sets the tone, while the exclamation mark adds emphasis. The other way round would be odd..

I recently posted on another Pedants' Corner thread that rhetorical devices are probably all right in a "Talk" forum, rather than in a more written context. No doubt that holds true for the ?! question, too!