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Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Mr. Anderson on February 06, 2008, 04:33:30 PM

Title: Question marks at the end of statements
Post by: Mr. Anderson on February 06, 2008, 04:33:30 PM
How grammatically correct is the question mark at the end of the following sentences?

Guess what?
Dallas, though, is strangely 11-9 against the East this year?
I wonder what the Heat announcers will have to talk about?
 
Title: Question marks at the end of statements
Post by: Jonathon on February 06, 2008, 05:04:27 PM
The Chicago Manual of Style would say those are all incorrect, I think. The last one is an indirect question, but syntactically it's just a regular declarative sentence. I'm not sure why the second one would ever need a question mark. And the first one shouldn't have one, as far as I can tell, but for some reason it really feels like it should. I personally like "Guess what?" with a question mark, but I can't really figure out why.
Title: Question marks at the end of statements
Post by: goofy on February 06, 2008, 05:28:46 PM
might have something to do with uptalk/high rising terminal (http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/%7Emyl/languagelog/archives/003772.html). I've seen HRT described as "putting a question mark at the end of your sentences."
Title: Question marks at the end of statements
Post by: Jonathon on February 06, 2008, 05:36:44 PM
That'd be my guess, too. It's not the same intonation pattern as a question, but there's something question-like about it. Same with the "I wonder" type of sentece.
Title: Question marks at the end of statements
Post by: dkw on February 07, 2008, 08:31:28 AM
"Guess what" seems like a question because it is asking for an answer.  
Title: Question marks at the end of statements
Post by: Porter on February 07, 2008, 08:42:35 AM
No, it's asking for a question.
Title: Question marks at the end of statements
Post by: Neutros the Radioactive Dragon on February 07, 2008, 09:44:01 AM
The other day I got "guess what" from an agent.

My reply was, "I'd rather not."

Not surprisingly, the agent didn't get it.
Title: Question marks at the end of statements
Post by: Mr. Anderson on February 15, 2008, 03:33:08 PM
Quote
No, it's asking for a question.
No, it's commanding a question.