Forum: Author Hangout

Whichever option you choose, provided it's not completely barking mad, there is bound to be a set of experts agreeing with you.

I was taught in both high school and college there are a number of forms of rhetorical questions. The three most common being:

1. A question the speaker asks with the intent of answering it themselves, and it should end with a question mark. Example: political candidate says, "Why should you vote for me? Because I stand for ..."

2. A clear statement worded like a question, but isn't meant to be answered, and it should end with an exclamation mark. This is often meant to be said in an emphatic manner. (note: this is the most common you one you see in stories.)

3. The indirect question that doesn't sound like a question, and ends in a full stop.

usual typo edit.

t's often a matter of personal choice depending on context--which makes it difficult for readers to decipher.

Which is a good reason to be uniform in how you use the punctuation for it. With what i was taught, and use, if what sounds like a question ends in an exclamation mark it makes it clear it's a rhetorical question. However, the key point is to use the same method for the situation throughout the story.

And I don't put a question mark when a question is not really a question, as in your boss saying, "Got a minute" when he's telling you to come to his office.

See, here's how easy it is to generate a disagreement on the topic. In my case, I'd add a question mark to it, but it's asked as a question, not expressed as a demand. Your relationship to your boss, and his power over your career, is immaterial to the punctuation. Even assuming he's not expecting a question, I'd still add it. In essence, he's saying "We're having this meeting NOW, unless you've got an objection", in which case it's still a question (i.e. "Is there any reason you can't meet right this second?).

In my case, I'd add a question mark to it, but it's asked as a question, not expressed as a demand. Your relationship to your boss, and his power over your career, is immaterial to the punctuation.

LOL You've had different kinds of bosses than I.

This is from Grammar Girl at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/do-rhetorical-questions-need-a-question-mark

It's called a rhetorical question, and it can end in either a question mark or an exclamation point, and in dialogue you can sometimes even have a speaker's rhetorical question end in a period.

LOL You've had different kinds of bosses than I.

Again, at least in my opinion, the punctuation depends upon the delivery. If it's asked as a question, it receives a question mark. If it's delivered as a statement, it gets a period. If it's an order, or an exclamation, it gets a, you guessed it, an exclamation mark. But if the question doesn't end in a question mark, you'd better make it obvious why in the text, otherwise readers won't know how to process the sentence (sometimes rhetoric isn't obvious to those reading).

Keep in mind, we're only talking about dialogue. In the narrative a question always has a question mark at the end.

Keep in mind, we're only talking about dialogue. In the narrative a question always has a question mark at the end.

If that's the convention you personally follow, fine. But the mileage of others, including me, may differ.

AJ

But the mileage of others, including me, may differ.

Can you give an example when you wouldn't put a question mark after a sentence worded as a question in the narrative?

If that's the convention you personally follow, fine. But the mileage of others, including me, may differ.

Could you expand? Does that mean you don't put question marks on rhetorical questions in your narrative, or you don't follow the convention in the dialogue? If not, then which conventions do you follow.

Keep in mind, we're only talking about dialogue. In the narrative a question always has a question mark at the end.

I'm actually having a hard time trying to think of any time I have , or may use, a rhetorical question in narrative. Basically, rhetorical questions are rhetoric, that is, spoken word or dialogue. Thus I can't see you using them in narrative. As dialogue, yes, as thoughts (which are a from of dialogue) yes, but not as straight narrative. I can see some narrative added to the dialogue with the rhetorical question too, but not a rhetorical question.

I'm actually having a hard time trying to think of any time I have , or may use, a rhetorical question in narrative. Basically, rhetorical questions are rhetoric, that is, spoken word or dialogue. Thus I can't see you using them in narrative. As dialogue, yes, as thoughts (which are a from of dialogue) yes, but not as straight narrative. I can see some narrative added to the dialogue with the rhetorical question too, but not a rhetorical question.

I can see it, given the variety of narrators authors use when writing a story. If someone uses a specific person, or a specific persona, as a story's narrator, then they (the narrator) could easily pose rhetorical questions as they process the story. But again, that's a mixture of narrative as internal dialogue.

As an example, consider the main character interviewing a suspect, who gives them a fallacious defense. After he concludes, the narrator might summarize the exchange as: "Need I say more concerning his mental stage?"

As an example, consider the main character interviewing a suspect, who gives them a fallacious defense. After he concludes, the narrator might summarize the exchange as: "Need I say more concerning his mental stage?"

In this case I'd see that as a thought by the person, be it a first or second person narrator, the item is a thought, which is basically the same as dialogue, but not spoken aloud by the character.

Once you take spoken dialogue and character thoughts out of the equation, I can't see a rhetorical question fitting into the narrative. But someone else might.

As an example, consider the main character interviewing a suspect, who gives them a fallacious defense. After he concludes, the narrator might summarize the exchange as: "Need I say more concerning his mental stage?"

Aha, but that would be in a story written in 1st-person. The narrative in 1st-person is actually dialogue — the 1st-person narrator talking to the reader.

The guiding principle (I dare not call anything a "rule" here) is to use a question mark for everything framed as a question - UNLESS the intention of the character (whether they are speaking or just thinking) means it is actually a disguised statement or imperative. Then often use an exclamation point but otherwise just a period.
Also, whenever a question mark is not used, make sure the reader will understand from the text why it is not a question.

"Are you serious? Is that what you actually intend to do. What kind of lunatic are you!" said the author, wondering whether anyone took anything he said seriously.

My response to your wondering is to reassure you that at least one person (moi) does take most, but not all, things you say seriously.

What he said was a joke, and a very good one too

The context should indicate whether the question is rhetorical - perhaps the questioner continues by answering him/herself

THis is probably the most effective technique, as it's the one most often used in plays and movies, and requires no internal thoughts to formulate. In that case, since the character answers it himself, the reader automatically knows it's a purely rhetorical question, instead of having to guess based upon the context.