User:Jlhyatt/Trifler

The trifler, "|-", is a punctuation mark used after a statement to indicate playfulness or lack of seriousness to the reader. Functioning as an irreverent and non-dramatic exclamation point, the trifler, like its more earnest counterpart, is used for emphasis and appears at the end of a sentence. The trifler takes two key strokes, the pipe/ broken bar ( | ) ( ¦ ), followed immediately by the hyphen ( - ) ( - ).

For use of spaces after the trifler, see the discussion for the full stop.

History and Design
“To trifle” means “to act or talk without seriousness, gravity, or weight; to act or talk with levity; to indulge in light or trivial amusements”. “To trifle with” means “to play the fool with; to treat without respect or seriousness; to mock; as, to trifle with one's feelings, or with sacred things”. The trifler as punctuation mark was proposed by the American consultant Jamie Hyatt to fill a vexing gap in available English language punctuation that was inhibiting intra-team communication. The exclamation point is meant to convey strong feelings, and using it to indicate levity is by-and-large inappropriate. Additionally, the exclamation point’s common use in a number of subcultures, including the teenybopper crowd, taints it with an almost embarrassing over-dramatization. And yet the alternative, the simple use of a period, conveys little beyond the grammatical end of a sentence. Finally, the growing use of ambiguous irony makes a mark of irreverence increasingly valuable. Hence – the trifler: the playful period, the tongue-in-cheek exclamation point.

In keeping with its quality of lighthearted frivolity, the trifler is in the shape of a sideways T (for trifler): |-. Lying on its side, its arms longer than its stem, the trifler manifests irreverence through lopsidedness. The trifler was designed by another American consultant, W. Shawn Ashworth.

Examples
Quintessential:
 * We need a new punctuation mark. You draw it up and I’ll send it out.
 * You must be high|-

Additional:
 * Jonathan Franzen was interviewed on "Fresh Air" this morning. He's from a St. Louis suburb too, and we have many other similarities. He's way more messed up than me though|-


 * Do you want to go to the nice bowling alley at Chelsea Piers, or the dank and dirty one on University?
 * Oh, definitely, the dank and dirty one|-


 * Nothing makes something more legitimate than being on the internet|-


 * I better warn you that when this thing goes global, I’m going to need some time off to enjoy my 15 minutes of fame.
 * You’ve stockpiled enough vacation days for it|-

Usage
In today’s irony-filled society, with the growing use of popular written communications such as text messages and email, the trifler’s use in informal correspondence has quickly increased as its value gains recognition. It has appeared in various on-line social communities since its introduction, including Korean Jim's blog, OGMB, and the Iranian horse lover’s home page.

Whether the trifler remains common usage remains to be seen. It differs from other newer punctuation marks in that it can easily be formed using a conventional typewriter or most mobile phone keypads. In a world of growing global strife, the demand for a playful punctuation mark may be a passing one – the hallmark of a confident and whimsical public easing the serious and grave by emphasizing the humorous and the light. Long live the trifler|-