[Ads-l] Question question

[Joe Salmons]

Thanks. The intonation pattern for EI is different, no rise at the end for me at least and no pause. (Lots of people don’t have this structure.)

From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Jonathan Lighter <00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Date: Monday, May 11, 2026 at 3:37 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Question question

I'd punctuate it differently: "I wonder, is she still at work?"

That's the only intonation pattern I've ever heard. (I think.)

JL

On Mon, May 11, 2026 at 3:46 PM Joe Salmons <
000008f18d0e0c45-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

> A couple of folks are looking at ‘embedded inversion’, where instead of
> using ‘if’ or ‘whether’ people say things like ‘I wonder is she still at
> work’.
>
> We’re wondering if this is ever discussed in usage guides but aren’t
> finding anything. (My grammar checkers don’t like it, fwiw.) Any tips would
> be much appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Joe
>
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