Anyone who is familiar with the ancient written, knows that they created a continuous "script" words without intervals, the more they had no punctuation.Only at the end of the XV century there was a point in the text at the beginning of the next century it was joined by a comma, and later in the pages of manuscripts "registered" question mark.It is noteworthy that up to this point his role for some time performed by a semicolon.After the question was not slow to appear and an exclamation point.
symbol originates in the Latin word quaestio, which translates as "the search for an answer."For the reproduction of the mark and use the letters q o, who first portrayed on the letter one above the other.Over time, the graphic image of the mark acquired the kind of graceful curl with a point at the bottom.
What does the question mark
Russian linguist Fedor Buslaev argued that the punctuation (the science of punctuation) has two objectives - to help the person to express his thoughts clearly, separating the proposals, as well as a part of each other, andexpress emotions.This is among other goals, and question mark.
Of course, the very first thing is that character - is the question.In the speech, he expressed the appropriate intonation, which is called the interrogative.Another question mark can mean confusion or doubt.Proposals with a question mark sometimes express a figure of speech, which is called a rhetorical question.He asked not for the purpose to ask, and to express my admiration, resentment and similar strong feelings, and to encourage the listener to reader comprehension of an event.The answer to the rhetorical question is given by the author.The company with an exclamation point question passes the value of astonishment.
where to put it, if it is necessary to put the matter
At what point proposal in Russian put a question mark?The symbol is usually at the end, but not only.We will consider each case in detail.
- question mark at the end of a simple sentence that expresses the question.( example : What are you looking for? Why water turns to ice?)
- question mark is inside the interrogative sentence in the enumeration of homogeneous members.( example : What do you want to cook - soup? Hot? Turkey?)
- in compound sentences that sign is placed at the end, and if all of its parts have a question, even if it contains only the last part of the sentence.( example : 1. How long shall I wait for the call, or soon will be my turn? 2. He laughed heartily, and who would remain indifferent to such a joke?)
- complex sentences in question the character is placed at the end:
1.When the question is in itself and important, and clause.( example : Do you know what happens in campaigns surprises?)
2. When it is found only in the main clause.( example : Surely we do not want to have peace?)
3. If the matter is concluded in the subordinate clause.( example : Different bold thoughts assailed him sore conscience, though whether it could at least do something to help his sister?) - In conjunctionless sentence put a question mark at the end:
1. If the question contains all the parts.( example : Where do I go, where to find a shelter who will stretch my hand of friendship?)
2. If the issue is only the last part of it.( example : Be frank with me: how much I have left to live?)
Where to put a question mark if you want to express doubt
when referring doubt, suspicion, hesitation question mark placed in the middle of the supply andin parentheses: Send some men in uniforms, prisoners and workers (?) and sat around the fire.
When a question mark, you can not put
in complex sentences, which sounds like a subordinate indirect question, the question is not put character.( example : I did not tell him why not read the book.) However, if the question mark is too high, the proposal with indirect questions can be crowned with this symbol.( example : I can not figure out how to still solve this problem? They are strongly interested, I become a millionaire?)
figurative sense
sometimes question the character mentioned in the speech from the allegorical purpose, wanting to express something mysterious,funny hidden.In this case, the phrase "question mark" sounds like a metaphor.( example : Those events were all for me not to clarify the mystery, a question mark, some striking but confusing dream.)
somersaults question mark
There are languages in which the symbol becomes "upside down."For example, in the Greek and Old Church Slavonic (used by the Orthodox Church) language it's written down the hook, point upwards.In Spanish, standing at the end of an interrogative sentence symbol is complemented by its inverted "twin."Curl facing the other way, it is decorated with Arabic texts.Upside down question mark and turned the programming language.
