Ellipsis

What is going on? Our culture has moved from a definitive, succinct, and confident society willing to punctuate with a period. Yes, a period. Rarely today does correspondence pass through my email inbox without at least one hanging thought or omission highlighted by the usage of the dreaded ellipsis. I say dreaded because what was once used to indicate more to come or some sort of intrigue has now become as meaningful as the combination of the colon and the close parenthesis. It is overused and getting on my nerves.

These simple three dots are found in subject lines, opening lines, and as the very last thought - or is it? in many emails. What drives its use? Is it an intentional omission, a pause in speech, or a trailing off into silence? Is it meant to be misleading? Well, it is. Is it meant to be an insult? It could be. Should the reader read an unstated alternative? Who knows.

I think the exaggerated usage is symbolic of the ambiguous society in which we live. Come on people. Make up your minds. Take a stand. Make a statement. A real statement - not a trailing thought. Don't make me rely on your good intentions. State them. I don't want to have to decipher your thoughts. Tell me what you think. Don't assume that you know more than me and leave me guessing at what it is that you know with your hanging dots. Don't make me speculate about what is to come. I'm tired of the arrogant ambiguity.

Use a period, please.