How to spell a question mark. Question mark in Russian, its functions and spelling

Anyone who is familiar with Old Russian writings knows that they were created in a continuous “letter” of words without intervals, especially since there were no punctuation marks in them. Only towards the end of the 15th century did a period appear in the texts, at the beginning of the next century a comma joined it, and even later a question mark was “written” on the pages of manuscripts. It is noteworthy that until this moment, its role was played by the semicolon for some time. Following the interrogative, he was not slow to appear and

The symbol comes from the Latin word quaestio, which translates as “search for an answer.” To depict the sign, the letters q and o were used, which were first depicted on the letter, one above the other. Over time, the graphic appearance of the sign took on the appearance of an elegant curl with a dot at the bottom.

What does a question mark mean?

Russian linguist Fyodor Buslaev argued that punctuation (the science of) has two tasks - to help a person express his thoughts clearly, separating sentences, as well as its parts from each other, and to express emotions. The question mark serves these purposes, among others.

Of course, the very first thing this symbol means is a question. In it is expressed by the corresponding intonation, which is called interrogative. Another question mark can mean bewilderment or doubt. Sentences with sometimes express which is called a rhetorical question. It is asked not for the purpose of asking, but in order to express admiration, indignation and similar strong feelings, as well as to encourage the listener, reader to comprehend a particular event. The answer to the rhetorical question is given by the author himself. In company with exclamation point The interrogative conveys the meaning of extreme surprise.

Where to put it if you need to express a question

Where in Russian sentences do they put a question mark? The symbol is usually located at the end of the sentence, but not only. Let's consider each case in more detail.

• A question mark is found at the end of a simple sentence expressing a question. ( For example: What are you looking for here? Why does water turn into ice?)
• Question mark is located inside an interrogative sentence when listing homogeneous members. ( For example: What should I cook for you - soup? roast? turkey?)
• In complex sentences, this sign is placed at the end even if all its parts contain a question, even if only the last part of the sentence contains it. ( For example: 1. How long should I wait for the call, or will my turn come soon? 2. He laughed sincerely, and who would remain indifferent to such a joke?)
• The question mark is placed at the end:
  1. When the question contains both a main clause and a subordinate clause. ( For example: Do you know what surprises happen on hikes?)
  2. When it is contained only in the main clause. ( For example: Don’t we really want there to be peace?)
  3. If the question is contained in a subordinate clause. ( For example: Various bold thoughts overwhelmed his inflamed mind, although could this at least help his sister in any way?)
• In a non-union sentence, a question mark is placed at the end:
  1. If the question contains all its parts. ( For example: Where should I go, where should I seek shelter, who will extend a friendly hand to me?)
  2. If the question contains only the last part of it. ( For example: Be honest with me: how long do I have left to live?)

Where to put a question mark if you need to express doubt

When indicating doubt, suspicion, reflection, a question mark is placed in the middle of the sentence and enclosed in brackets: Some people in robes, prisoners or workers(?) came and sat around the fire.

When you don't have to put a question mark

In a complex sentence in which the subordinate clause sounds like a question mark, it is not used. ( For example: I didn’t tell him why I hadn’t read this book.) However, if the interrogative intonation is too strong, then a sentence with an indirect question can be crowned with this sign. ( Example: I can’t figure out how to solve this problem? They persistently asked how I became a millionaire?)

figurative meaning

Sometimes the question symbol is mentioned in speech for an allegorical purpose, wanting to express something mysterious, incomprehensible, hidden. In this case, the phrase “question mark” sounds like a metaphor. ( For example: Those events forever remained for me an unresolved mystery, a question mark, some kind of vivid but confusing dream.)

Question mark somersaults

There are languages ​​in which this symbol is turned upside down. For example, in Greek and Old Church Slavonic (used Orthodox Church) in languages ​​it is written with a hook down, a dot up. In Spanish, the sign at the end of a question sentence is complemented by its inverted “twin.” Turned in a curl in the opposite direction, it decorates Arabic texts. The programming language also turned the question mark upside down.

There are a number of competing versions about the history of the origin of the question mark. One of them explains that the question mark "?" once called an interrogation point. The most popular explanation states that the question mark comes from the Latin word Quaestio, "Query," a word that was spelled "Qo" in shorthand and eventually became the sign we use today.

Others believe that the question mark may have been derived from medieval musical notation, which used the so-called interrupted punctus. In musical notation, he indicated a questioning intonation at the end of a line.

Some even believe that the question mark came from Egypt and was derived from the image of a cat's tail.

Or maybe the English scientist Alcuin of York was the ancestor modern symbol? He developed the first question mark while working at the court of Charlemagne and creating new system punctuation. Its question mark resembled a point with a tilde above it and became widely used in the ninth century for reading aloud in a rising tone of voice.

The most recent theory about the origin story of "?" proposed in 2011. It is based on fifth-century Syriac manuscripts of the Bible, which are known to have been written using dots of unclear meaning.

Manuscripts written in ancient languages ​​of the Middle East are littered with mysterious dots. Among them is the vertical double dot, known in later grammars as zagwa elaya. The Cambridge Academic Corps believes that zagwa elaya is the world's earliest version of the question mark.

“I would describe punctuation as significant footnotes in the history of writing,” says Cambridge University specialist Dr Chip Coakley.

Here's an early example of a question mark. The question symbol on a letter is two dots, one above the other, similar in appearance looks like a large intestine. How did the familiar squiggle of the modern question mark appear?

Dr. Chip Coakley believes that the zagwa elaya, or “vertical double dot,” was placed on only certain questions in writing. Above those that are not immediately obvious, like questions. For example, "What are you doing?" , “Are you leaving?”

Although it is likely that the question marks used in the later Greek and the Latin alphabet were an independent invention. If Coakley's guess is correct, then zagwa elaya is the earliest known question mark in history.

Question marks in Greek and Latin appeared later than in Syriac, dating back to the earliest examples, writing in the eighth century. It is likely that these symbols developed independently of Syriac. Hebrew and Arabic, close neighbors of Syriac, have nothing of the kind. Armenian, another neighbor, has a similar sign, but it seems to have appeared later.

Question mark inverted vertically and horizontally by 180

As a rule, you can hardly find an inverted question mark in the Russian language. But in Spanish this sign is important. It is used at the beginning of a sentence and serves as an addition to the main question mark, which, as in all other languages, is placed traditionally. Or it may have nothing to do with the main question mark at all, since intonation in Spanish can change. And the first few words in a sentence may be called into question. Also, an inverted question mark can be used not only at the beginning or end of sentences, but also in the middle of a sentence. Immediately before the question word.

Where is an inverted question mark used?

1. The inverted question mark is used in Microsoft Windows operating systems, since it is prohibited to use traditional sign question.
2. A question mark flipped 180 degrees horizontally (the curl is rotated to reverse side) is used in Arabic.
3. A vertically inverted question mark (i.e. the dot is at the top and the hook is at the bottom) is used in Greek and Church Slavonic languages.

Perhaps it would be possible to use a question mark inverted in our language as not a question mark, but rather an affirmative one and meaning that this is an answer to some question. But! Why additional rules in Russian?

How to write an inverted question mark

Writing it in any file is as easy as shelling pears. Yes, it's not on the keyboard, but that's not a problem. There is a keystroke combination to write a sign. You must press the ALT key and, while holding it, enter the number combination 0191. In this case, the language should be switched to English.

Question mark (? ) - punctuation mark, usually placed at the end of a sentence to express a question or doubt.

It has been found in printed books since the 16th century, but to express the question it was fixed much later, only in the 18th century.

The design of the sign comes from Latin letters q And o(lat. quaestio- search for an answer). Originally wrote q over o, which were then transformed into the modern style.

It can be combined with an exclamation mark to indicate surprise (“?!”; according to the rules of Russian punctuation, a question mark is written first) and with an ellipsis (“?..”; only two dots remain from the ellipsis symbol).

• Some languages, such as Spanish, also use an inverted question mark (¿, U+00BF), which is placed at the beginning of a phrase in addition to the regular question mark at the end. For example: What do you mean?(With Spanish  - "How are you?")
• In French, a question mark, like some other punctuation marks, is separated from a word by a space, for example: Qu'est-ce que tu dis ?(With fr.  - “What are you saying?”)
• in command templates of various operating systems, the sign “?” stands for any character.
• In Microsoft Windows operating systems, the use of the service character “?” in the file name is prohibited. If necessary, use the symbols “7” or “¿” as a replacement. [[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]] . But you should remember that files with the symbol “¿” in the name are not supported by all programs.
• in BASIC the sign "?" is an alternative notation for the command PRINT.
• in Arabic and languages ​​using Arabic script (for example, Persian), the question mark is written backwards ( ؟ - U+061F).
• in Greek and Church Slavonic, an inverted question mark is used: the dot is placed at the top and the “curl” at the bottom. The question mark is represented as the symbol ";" .

See also

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Notes

Literature

• Question mark (?) // about writing or letters. You can help the project by adding to it.

  Excerpt characterizing Question Mark

  Right in front of Magdalene, at the very top of a man-made hill, stood her favorite castle - the Montsegur fortress... For more than eight long years, this friendly and impregnable fortress was her real home... The home of her beloved daughter, the refuge of her friends and the Temple of her love. Montsegur housed her memories - the most cherished relics of her life, her teachings and her family. All her Perfects gathered there to purify their Souls and gain Life-Giving Power. There she spent her most precious hours, the most tranquil from the bustle of the world...
  - Let's go, my dear, the sun has already set anyway. Now we will rejoice in him tomorrow. And now we must greet our guests. You love to communicate, don’t you? So you'll keep them occupied until I'm free.
  “I don’t like them, Mom.” Their eyes are evil... And their hands are running all the time, as if they cannot find a place for themselves. They are not good people, Mommy. Could you ask them to leave?
  Magdalena laughed loudly, hugging her daughter tenderly.
  - Well, here’s another thing, my suspicion! How can we kick guests out? That’s why they are “guests”, to bother us with their presence! You know that, don't you? So be patient, my dear, until they go home. And there, you see, they will never return again. And you won't have to borrow them.
  Mother and daughter returned inside the cave, which now looked like a small chapel, with a funny stone “altar” in the corner.

  Suddenly, in complete silence, pebbles crunched loudly on the right side, and two people appeared at the entrance to the room. Apparently, for some reason, they tried very hard to walk silently, and now they seemed to me like something very unpleasant. Only I couldn’t determine what. For some reason I immediately realized that this was it. uninvited guests Magdalene... She shuddered, but immediately smiled affably and, turning to the elder, asked:
  - How did you find me, Ramon? Who showed you the entrance to this cave?
  The man named Ramon smiled coldly and, trying to seem pleasant, answered in a falsely affectionate manner:
  – Oh, don’t be angry, bright Mary! You know, I have a lot of friends here... I was just looking for you to talk about something important.
  – This place is sacred to me, Ramon. It is not for worldly meetings and conversations. And except for my daughter, no one could bring you here, and she, as you see, is now with me. You were following us... Why?
  I suddenly suddenly felt an icy cold pull down my back - something was wrong, something was about to happen... I wildly wanted to scream!.. To warn somehow... But I understood that I can’t help them, I can’t reach out across the centuries, I can’t intervene... I don’t have that right. The events unfolding in front of me took place a very long time ago, and even if I could help now, it would already be an interference in history. Since, if I had saved Magdalene, many destinies would have changed, and perhaps the entire subsequent Earthly history would have been completely different... Only two people on Earth had the right to do this, and I, unfortunately, was not one of them... Then everything happened too quickly... It seemed that it wasn’t even real... Smiling coldly, a man named Ramon suddenly grabbed Magdalena by the hair from behind and with lightning speed plunged a narrow long dagger into her open neck... A crunch was heard. Without even having time to understand what was happening, Magdalena hung on his arm, not showing any signs of life. Scarlet blood streamed down her snow-white robe... The daughter screamed shrilly, trying to escape from the hands of the second monster, who grabbed her fragile shoulders. But her scream was cut off - just like a rabbit’s thin neck was broken. The girl fell next to the body of her unfortunate mother, in whose heart the crazy man was still endlessly stabbing his bloody dagger... It seemed that he had lost his mind and could not stop... Or was his hatred so strong that it controlled his criminal hand? .. Finally, it's over. Without even looking back at what they had done, the two heartless killers disappeared into the cave without a trace.
  

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