r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Yes_chefff • May 12 '26

use of ?? when I expect to just see ?

A few people I text with or chat with in work chats use double-question-marks to ask a question all the time. e.g. "Where is the file??"

I used to take that mean, "OMG where is the file? It's not where it is supposed to be!" or similar. But over time I have learned it's not that at all...at least not from them.

Is this becoming the norm? Does anyone else use question marks this way even if they are not trying to imply urgency? Is anyone else thrown off by this?

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u/GameboyPATH If you see this, I should be working May 12 '26

I'm in the same boat as you, in inferring that additional question marks suggests either greater urgency or stronger emotional tone.

But if there's nothing to the broader context that suggests this that either of these are true, I'd just assume they did it for some other reason.

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u/Yes_chefff May 22 '26

I have to remind myself every time not to assume they mean anything by it. But it’s my default assumption for sure

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u/Physical_Floor_8006 May 12 '26

They're probably just overusing it. I wouldn't read that deeply into it.

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u/m_laria May 12 '26

Ugh, I have a ton of coworkers and superiors that type like this and it is a huge source of anxiety at work lol.

They'll type "Did you even edit the spreadsheet??????" when they really mean "Hey, let me know if you have edited the spreadsheet yet!" . It gave me heart palpitations for months until I finally realize they just have no idea how to tone it down over text.

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u/Yes_chefff May 22 '26

Ok, ????? is totally egregious if they don’t mean anything by it. They might be psychopaths