≡The origin of the exclamation point is controversial
The origin of the exclamation point is controversial, with the most accepted theory being that it was created by Aristophanes. However, another theory exists, which derives it from the Latin exclamation iō. The first use of the exclamation point in English printing was in the mid-15th century, as a sign of emphasis and being termed the "sign of admiration or exclamation mark". In Germany and Brazil, this punctuation mark first appeared in their respective Bibles, in the 1790s and 1740s, respectively. Until the 17th century, the exclamation point was known as a "point of admiration", according to its Latin definition. Before 1970, manual typewriters did not have a specific key for the exclamation point, therefore, to place it, a period was used, followed by a space and an apostrophe. The first book to contain the exclamation point was the "Catechism of Edward VI", published in London in 1553.
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