Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 5 down vote favorite

I am sure that this wouldn't have much meaning, but still want to get acknowledged whether usage of double dots is formal.

I have observed people using double dots in business Emails. Usually while adding additional recipients to the thread. example:

Adding XYZ..

I would like to know the specific meaning of it.

In the world of music, placing double dots .. infront of note is a shortcut, it signifies addition of its next level note.

EDIT: Does it specify an infinite Pause? Infinite .. I mean by unsure (not never ending).

In general case, if I use this .. in my statement what would it mean?

share|improve this question
It would be helpful to see an expanded example of what you mean. – Barrie England Mar 8 '12 at 8:21
@BarrieEngland, agreeable. Please add it as an answer. Thanks. – InfantPro'Aravind' Mar 8 '12 at 8:42
I agree with Barrie, infant programmer 'Aravind', you need add an expanded example into your question so that the people trying to answer have a better idea how to help you. – Matt Эллен Mar 8 '12 at 8:50
1  
@infant programmer 'Aravind': Well, I can't see how two dots can ever mean anything different to three dots - so it seems to me it's just a nonstandard way of writing the ellipsis. It looks as if you're hoping to be told it's got some specialised meaning, and that you can validly use the two- and three-dot forms within the same passage of writing, expecting others to recognise your distinction. I just don't think you can, so if your specific usage isn't covered in the original question then it should be. We don't need another separate question here just for two dots, imho. – FumbleFingers Mar 12 '12 at 12:41
1  
@FumbleFingers, Understood. :) So you believe ellipsis and double-dots are same? well. Thank you. – InfantPro'Aravind' Mar 12 '12 at 13:50
show 9 more comments

4 Answers

up vote 6 down vote accepted

As far as I know, double dots isn't actually an established punctuation mark (unlike the three-dot ellipsis) but you can see it a lot in informal written online communications.

I think that it comes from overuse of the ellipsis. The ellipsis is overused in emails/facebok statuses/chats because it's a rather vague and unspecific mark when people sort of ramble with their thoughts and don't frame them in well-defined sentences. I'm not saying this critically or pejoratively, just an observation on the less formally structured form of online communications.

So the double-dot, I believe, represents a grass-roots construction that's like a less-dramatic and drastic ellipsis. Shorter pauses, perhaps. Less meandering and long-winded. :)

share|improve this answer
thank you for your valuable opinion :) – InfantPro'Aravind' Mar 8 '12 at 8:37
I find you answer interesting and agreeable. I will wait for some more responses.. before declaring Best answer :) – InfantPro'Aravind' Mar 8 '12 at 8:41
up vote 6 down vote

A legitimate use of dots is in a quotation from which a part is missing. This piece of punctuation is, as others have said, ellipsis and normally consists of three dots. The only place I have seen two dots is in quotations in the Oxford English Dictionary, where they are used to save space.

share|improve this answer
2  
I wonder if a double-dot isn't meant to be a shorthand version of the ellipsis, being informally adapted in text messages, which are limited to 160 characters. (An 3-dot ellipsis can be a rather "expensive" punctuation mark, taking up nearly 2% of the allotted characters in a message). Just wondering aloud.. – J.R. Mar 8 '12 at 10:07
1  
@J.R. Possibly, but you may want to develop that into an answer. – Barrie England Mar 8 '12 at 11:16
Note that the OED uses two mid··dots, not two full..stops, for their special form of ellipsis. – tchrist Dec 2 '12 at 17:04
up vote 0 down vote

I haven't seen double dots, but an ellipsis (three dots) is quite common.

As an ellipsis is usually used in English to indicate an omission, my assumption is that this originally came about when the writer wanted to explain the addition of the extra recipients etc., and has become common through use.

share|improve this answer
Yes. Ellipsis signifies something unknown or unsure. Double dot may be.. a pause? :) – InfantPro'Aravind' Mar 8 '12 at 8:39
up vote 0 down vote

A double dot is also used in mathematics for integer intervals (e.g., [−1..2] denotes the set {−1, 0, 1, 2}). It is also used in several programming languages to for similar concepts.

share|improve this answer
thank you very much! – InfantPro'Aravind' Dec 2 '12 at 14:05

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.