Prispunkt

Prispunkt is a term used in typography to describe the practice of placing a period at the end of a sentence outside the final punctuation mark, such as a question mark or exclamation point. This technique is often employed in German typography, where the period is placed after the final punctuation mark, resulting in a double punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. For example, in German, the sentence "Wie geht es dir?" (How are you?) would be written with a period after the question mark, like this: "Wie geht es dir.?".

The use of prispunkt is a stylistic choice and is not universally accepted or used in all languages. It is often seen in German textbooks, newspapers, and other formal publications. The practice aims to maintain a consistent and clear typographic style, as the period serves as a visual cue to signal the end of a sentence, regardless of the final punctuation mark used.

Prispunkt is not to be confused with the use of a period after an initialism or acronym, which is a standard practice in English and many other languages. The use of prispunkt is specific to German typography and is not typically used in other languages.