Phrasing a statement as a question

While I can certainly hear the question in the voice when the question mark is put there, I have to ask why on earth someone would be asking himself "I can't see the instructions"? Does he think he's gone blind? To me, it's unnatural as a question, and even worse if it isn't in dialogue. But again, if the character has adopted the raised-voice inflection and/or does ask pretty stupid questions of himself, then go with it. Just don't expect everyone to like it or even understand it.
 
Jo and I both seem to have liked TJ's comment, so I suppose the duel can be honourably postponed. If not, we've now got a very good referee lined up!
 
For me, when you put the question mark at the end of that statement, it changes the entire meaning.

1) I can't see the instructions. A statement of fact in a situation where the desk is messy and instructions can't be located/seen.
2) I can't see the instructions? Makes me think the speaker is asking for permission or complaining why permission to see the instructions is not being granted.

My 2 cents.
 
Denise Tanaka said:
2) I can't see the instructions? Makes me think the speaker is asking for permission or complaining why permission to see the instructions is not being granted.

My 2 cents.
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It makes me see it that way -- they are unsure/being very polite/trying not to be antagonistic/don't want to be a bother but*... by using the lilt of a questioning tone to soften what might be seen as a criticism or them being pushy. I hear people do it a lot (working in retail you get a lot of "Um, I can't find the eggs?" Usually followed by "Must be going blind" or "I should wear my glasses!" when you point out they are standing right in front of them :D)


*ETA or because they are pretty sure they should be able to, say, see the instructions (or the eggs) but feel a bit of a fool because they can't
 
It's idiosyncratic and therefore depends on context. As has been said above it's dialogue so allowed. However... (objectionable personal opinion alert) I absolutely loathe AQI to such an extent that it would make me despise the character :D

High rising terminals are becoming so common nowadays, I would say you could quite happily do it, though :)

pH
 
Hi Toby,

No, the question he's asking in full is "am I not able to see the instructions?" And in the second version he's wondering if for some reason he is unable to see the instructions. Without the question mark (I assume you meant that rather than quotation mark) it becomes a flat statement "I can't see the instructions." He told the supervisor. It still works but as Jo says it does mean something else.

This is conversational English, which is not only not formal, but in most cases is highly stilted and things are assumed based on very few words. Consider the following:

Jo went to the shop, picked up a paper, and wandered over to the counter.

"A dollar," said the shop keeper.

"A dollar?" Jo asked.

"A dollar." The shopkeeper confirmed it in a flat voice.

As you can see the same two word statement is alternately a statement and a question - yet in formal English it isn't even a sentence. But anyone reading that will understand what is being said because it's exactly what people will say quite regularly.

It also makes sense in third person close, because it's narration, whether by the MC's thoughts or the narrator in omni. So consider:

Jo went to the shop, picked up a paper, and wandered over to the counter.

"A dollar," said the shop keeper.

A dollar? Jo was surprised but didn't ask.


Note that for the second question it's still a question but Jo doesn't ask it. Instead he basically wonders it - and it still makes sense as a question because we don't think in fully formed sentences. So the question becomes (pun intended) why exactly is he surprised. Is it too much money? Is it simply an odd amount? Does he normally pay in pounds?

Cheers, Greg.
 
It depends on whether the person saying it is saying it like a question. It can be a matter of speech habits, or a way of changing the meaning of the statement, as people have noted above. If it feels like it ought to be a question, make it a question.
 
psychotick said:
"A dollar," said the shop keeper.

"A dollar?" Jo asked.

"A dollar." The shopkeeper confirmed it in a flat voice.

As you can see the same two word statement is alternately a statement and a question - yet in formal English it isn't even a sentence. But anyone reading that will understand what is being said because it's exactly what people will say quite regularly.

It also makes sense in third person close, because it's narration, whether by the MC's thoughts or the narrator in omni. So consider:

Jo went to the shop, picked up a paper, and wandered over to the counter.

"A dollar," said the shop keeper.

A dollar? Jo was surprised but didn't ask.
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All of this makes perfect sense to me. I'm not saying that you can't do either of these. In particular, a statement can often be made into a viable question by putting a question mark at the end: "They hanged him in the square?" means pretty much "Did they hang him in the square?". However, in the present circumstances, the sentence "I can't see the instructions?" feels wrong. As the Judge says, I cannot imagine anyone ever saying this as a genuine question. It may be technically possible, but it doesn't sound natural or likely. Anyway, I realise that I am very much in the minority here and I don't see the point in arguing it any further.
 
Toby Frost said:
All of this makes perfect sense to me. I'm not saying that you can't do either of these. In particular, a statement can often be made into a viable question by putting a question mark at the end: "They hanged him in the square?" means pretty much "Did they hang him in the square?". However, in the present circumstances, the sentence "I can't see the instructions?" feels wrong. As the Judge says, I cannot imagine anyone ever saying this as a genuine question. It may be technically possible, but it doesn't sound natural or likely. Anyway, I realise that I am very much in the minority here and I don't see the point in arguing it any further.
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This!

On another note, I know it's your tale and all, but is such a seemingly small matter so important to the story? Is there a specific reason why you don't want the character to voice the question in a more usual way?

pH
 
As I said, it wasn't for a story, it was a generic question.

This particular question was from two people talking, it got me thinking is all :).
 
But I can totally hear it as a question. Maybe it's because in the Northern Irish dialect we do tend to abbreviate things anyway, but this wouldn't raise eyebrows to me as a question - I might, in fact, be more bemused if it wasn't, because it's in response to what has been said previously.

I think, actually, dialect has a big part to play in this, and how you hear the characters.
 
I think the issue here is correct grammar versus common use. Kinda the reason I brought it up :)

Was very interested in what peoples thoughts were!
 
Perhaps we should alter the way we write our dialogs.
"Captain", Ensign Feritov said, the rising inflection in his voice telling Captain Petit-Poule he might have meant his remark as a question,"we might have to alter course ?"
"Could you be more specific?", he ordered, with the specific lilting intonation that told Feritov this was but a rhetorical question.
"I could be,but it wouldn't do much good,would it? You have already made up your mind?"
"I haven't, can't you tell!!!"He fairly shouted that last question.
"Sir,your phrasing is off. "
"Are you telling me how to phrase orders,ensign Feritov?",the Captain said, his voice ending on a low ,threatening note."That was a rhetorical order,Ensign!!"
"A rhetorical order,sir,do they exist at all??",He countered in a neutral voice.The Captain's despair was audible in his mixing of several fonts.
The next moment Feritov was using italics to drive his point home.
 
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