B5(JIS) Portrait 15, 15, 15, 15

On Exclaiming

Definitions of Exclamation (noun)

Webster
1. A loud calling or crying out; outcry; loud or emphatic utterance; vehement vociferation;
clamour; sudden expression of sound or words indicative of emotion, as in surprise, pain,
grief, joy, anger, etc.
2. That which is cried out, as an expression of feeling.

Century
1. The act of exclaiming; an emphatic or clamorous outcry.
2. That which is uttered with emphasis or passion; a vehement speech or saying.
3. The mark or sign in writing and printing (!) by which emphatic utterance or
interjectional force is indicated; usually called exclamation-mark or -point, and formerly
note of admiration. See ecphoneme.
4. In gram., a word expressing outcry; an interjection; a word expressing some passion, as
wonder, fear, or grief.
5. In rhet., same as ecphonesis, 1.
6. In the Gr. Ch., same as ecphonesis, 2.

Cambridge
4. A word that expresses sudden pain, surprise, anger, excitement, happiness, or other
emotion.
“Ouch,” “hey,” and “wow" are exclamations.

Cambridge
1. Loud complaint or protest; abrupt, emphatic, or excited cry or utterance; ejaculatory
expression of surprise, admiration, pain, anger, dissent, or the like.
The speech was continually interrupted by rude exclamations.
2. Something exclaimed; an exclamatory word or phrase; the contents of an interjection or
ejaculation.
5. (Rhetoric) the use of an exclamatory phrase, as in O tempore! O mores!

Combined
0. An instance or bout of exclaiming; an occurance of emphatic or clamorous outcry.
Her rousing words were more than once obscured by exclamation and applause.
1. The act of exclaiming.
Exclamation is semivoluntary.
2. That which is uttered with emphasis or passion; a vehement speech or saying.
 The exclamation Fuck me! can denote surprise as a sudden emotion in the speaker; the
command Fuck me! denotes demanding the addressee have intimate relations with the
speaker.
3. The mark or sign in writing and printing (!) by which emphatic utterance or
interjectional force is indicated; usually exclamation-mark or -point, formerly note of
admiration.
4. In gram., a word expressing outcry; an interjection; a word expressing some passion, as
wonder, fear, or grief.
5. In rhet., same as ecphonesis, 1.
6. In the Gr. Ch., same as ecphonesis, 2.

Composing and Parsing Exclamations

Exclamations are short utterances made when very surprised or upset. They are not always
whole sentences; nonetheless, they communicate facts on which some affective response is
transmitted. Typically, they presuppose the truth of their expression—that it is known or
obvious to speaker and addressee.

Ones that are not grammatical words are interjections.

Ugh! Phew! Wow! Huh!

Many consist of just one word.

Help! Nonsense! Blast! Rubbish!

Exclamations can consist of what + noun phrase or how + adjective phrase.

What a pity! What a lovely day! What rubbish! How silly!
How kind of him!

They may also have the form of a negative question.

Isn’t it a warm day! Aren’t they kind!

An echo is a repetition of part of the previous utterance due to disbelief or surprise.

Richard’s passed the exam. ―Richard’s passed! That’s brilliant!
Sally’s here. ―She’s here! What a relief!

exclamational (ˌexclaˈmational) ADJECTIVE

 Definition of Exclamative (noun, adjective)

NOUN
1. a word or sentence that denotes an exclamation
ADJECTIVE
2. containing an exclamation; exclamatory

Composing and Parsing Exclamatives

What and such are exclamatives that introduce an exclamation of surprise, admiration, or a
similar emotion. Exclamations introduced by one of these words consist either of the
exclamative in a noun phrase alone (usually What…) or in a complete clause.
What a laugh! What awful weather! He is such a nice man!
You always wear such lovely things! What a pleasant surprise this is!

Clauses and sentences > Exclamatives

The type of phrase or clause associated with exclamations is called exclamative.

We usually form exclamatives with what or how and an exclamation mark (!) at the end in
writing:
What an amazing car! How I love the summer holidays!

What …!
We can use what + noun phrase ((+ verb) (+ tag)):
+ noun phrase + verb + tag
What a beautiful day! What a beautiful day it is! What a beautiful day it is, isn’t it!
What bad luck! What bad luck they had! What bad luck they had, didn’t they!

How …!
We often use how followed by an adjective only:
How sweet! How lovely! How amazing!

We can use how + adjective/adverb + subject + verb:

How interesting it was to hear her story! How wonderful it is to see you!
How beautifully she sang! Everyone was delighted.

In American English particularly, informal styles use how + adjective + verb + subject:
How clever am I! How crazy is that!

Interrogative form
Exclamations sometimes use interrogative word order:
 Have I got news for you! Peter and Michaela are getting divorced!
Did I do something stupid last night!

Here are some short expressions expressing surprise:

Wow! No way! Gosh! That’s amazing!

Collins
Exclamative clauses usually have one of the following word orders:
What + noun + subject + verb
How + adjective or adverb + subject + verb
Auxiliary or modal verb + subject + verb (i.e. interrogative word order)

They commonly express surprise or shock so are written with an exclamation mark:
What a lovely sister you are! How beautiful that house was! Wasn’t she great!
Didn’t he sing well!