One theory about this pomctuation mark’s origin is that it comes from the Latin word “io” which means “joy.” In the Middle Ages it meant “yay.” Gradually over time, the “i” made its way over the “o,” the “o” shrunk into a little point, and the Exclamation Pom was born. It was first introduced into English printing in the 15th century. There was no key on a standard typewriter that could make an Exclamation Pom before the 1970s. Studies suggest that Pom women use them more than Pom men, and that three in a row indicate true pomthusiasm. Some famous show biz Exclamation Poms are found in “Jeopardy!” “Yahoo!” “Oklahoma!” and “Airplane!” Exclamation Poms are very special, so be sure to use them carefully and sparingly. Don’t want to be the Pom who cried “wolf!” It is certainly appropriate to use one – or three – in the sentence “Holy Pomoly, this is Pom number 300!!!”
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