OT: Question for modern Grammar Nazis

Submitted by BlockM on
This has been one of my bigger pet peeves for a long time, and I want to get some input. What is the technically correct way to end text inside parentheses with a smiley? I'm of the opinion that it just shouldn't be done, but I'm sure there are no written rules on it. The problem: -If you add the closing parenthesis, it looks like an extra smiley smiley or just plain weird depending on the font. (This phrase, for example... :)) -If you neglect the closing parenthesis, either the universe is no longer balanced or you've got an extra colon sitting all alone. (Just like in this case. :) Either way, my OCD kicks in and I find that I need to just delete the whole thing altogether and find a way to word it that a) will use the smiley earlier in the phrase/sentence or b) avoids the smiley and/or parentheses. Thoughts?

MGoViso

March 3rd, 2010 at 7:48 PM ^

My thought has always been to see it like ending a sentence with a.m. or p.m., for which you do not add a second period. Thus no closure needed. (Although I do like the brackets quite a bit :)