Why the question marks?

Many Yahoo! "Questions" end with question marks, even though they are declarative statements. For example: "I need help with this problem?"

Do I wonder why? Yes, I do wonder why. Why?

Anonymous2010-03-13T19:00:38Z

Favorite Answer

yahoo auto adds the mark at the end of the title even if you don't yourself.

Tarragon2010-03-13T19:08:06Z

That's because, NNRR, unlike you they know little about English and absolutely nothing about declarative statements.

Most of the poor sods who post questions here don't know their past from their perfect, and barely know an adjective from a noun.

So, if you are an adjectivally-challenged type with a problem, you post a question. Questions, as we are universally (but incorrectly) told must end with a Question Mark. It is this, is it not, which defines a question. (You and I both know that last sentence was indeed a question, although it lacked a question mark.)

I sense the humour and irony in your final line -- "Do I wonder why? Yes, I do wonder why. Why?" But, alas, it is grammar seeding on stony ground I'm afraid.

The remaining question is whether you will award 10 points to any answer at all...

Cheers,

T

Anonymous2010-03-13T19:01:18Z

People think that the question mark makes the sentence interrogotive, when in fact, the interrogotive sentence makes it a question mark.

33Q2010-03-13T19:06:30Z

Perhaps with the informal use of slang, people misuse the punctuation. You are correct, declarative statements point out something, they do not ask a question. Good for u! heh heh is this a pet peeve of yours? (SMILE) God keep u.

?2010-03-13T19:03:31Z

I am deathly confused here. Question marks are put after a question?..... Huh.. Weird.

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