Of course, had she inserted too many marks, that may have been a problem, too, as there is suddenly a very fine line between appearing overeager (too much punctuation) and dismissive (not enough). Even the period, once the most benign of the punctuation spectrum, now feels aggressive.

With the spread of mobile technology, it's become much easier for more people to maintain constant contact with their social networks online. And a lot of people are taking advantage of that opportunity. One indication: A recent Pew Research survey of adults in the U.S.

"If different languages influence our minds in different ways, this is not because of what our language allows us to think but rather because of what it habitually obliges us to think about."

This article describes different forms of language used by animals. It reviews many case studies that investigate the mental capabilities between humans and animals and how effective our forms of communication are.