If we're speaking about punctuation, there really needs to be another mark in between a period and exclamation point, something that means what you said is sincere.<p>Responding to a text by saying "Thanks." or "Thanks!" is so different. If I was talking to someone and they gave a compliment, I'd want to say a sincere "thanks", but there isn't a way to do that in a text that doesn't come off as weird.
„‚cultural rebirth’ after the gloomy Middle Ages”<p>Not the point of the article, but that slanderous characterization of the Middle Ages for some reason refuses to die even centuries following the fanaticism of the Reformation and the Enlightenment. It is well understood that the Middle Ages were a remarkeable period, culturally speaking. The Renaissance frankly grew out of the Middle Ages.
Interesting that the semicolon was born out of a need for a longer pause in spoken language, rather than as a means to connect two independent clauses as is taught today
> The semicolon was born in Venice in 1494<p>Again! Ten years ago I met my (now) wife in Venezia (Venice), and since then I've become really interested in Venezia's history, inventions, etc.<p>It's incredible how many ideas, inventions, trends, important people are inextricably linked with Venezia between the 14th and 17th century. It was never a huge city, but it has been deeply influential, in a way similar to today's concept of "alpha city" [0], but not just limited to economic importance.<p>[0]: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city</a>
The typography on the scanned 1494 page is beautiful. I also remember seeing the ancient Roman grave stones with the very nice letters, but I admire how they developed the types for printing.