Originally Posted By: belMarduk
I'm unsure about something.

*********Bel you're not alone

If I write a statement like, "Most dogs in Québec are named KING." then add, "I wonder why that is", should I put a question mark at the end of the second sentence.

*******I wouldn't

It's a questioning comment, but not an outright question like if I had written, "Why is that?".

***You're correct

I usually wind up rephrasing the sentence. I'd really like to know the rule on this.


******I don't think there's a rule though my prescriptivist buddies may disagree. If it were at the of a paragraph I would even have omitted the period. I do this regularly, much to the consternation of compulsive Admin types [present company excepted] although in other cases it makes a statement, suggesting the topic under discussion is still open to comment

*****I often omit the "?" even when it's obviously a question. Part of the reason is that it upsets the zealous prescriptivist and partly becuse it's a subtle insult: If you can't tell it's a question you're illiterate. It drives officious Admin types [present company excepted] up the wall

*******Also it saves keystrokes and especially inadvertent mistakes from hitting the wrong key. The typical screen sucker (like me), especially if he uses Mac rather than Windows, in his lifetime makes a conservatively-estimated 1.1 millon otherwise unnecessary keystrokes

But be forewarned: I have been banned for less

See post #5:

http://www.freeratio.org/showthread.php?t=260466


dalehileman