Is a question a sentence?

[8-up]

Fr0oTy (Itchygoat) and I are having a debate on whether or not a question is considered a grammatically-correct sentence.

This is the definition of a sentence (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentence_(grammar))

"Traditionally, each sentence is regarded as having a subject, an object and a verb, even if one of these is implied."


What do you say?

[Ichigo]

Also, from the same url...
"However, a minor sentence is an irregular type of a sentence. It does not follow all the grammatical rules; For example: How do you do?"

And Eightup has pointed out to me that "you" is the subject of the example, the first "do" is the verb, and the second "do" is the object - thus making it a sentence following the rules of a sentence, even though Wiki says it "does not follow all the grammatical rules".

Personally, a question is defined by the questionmark at the end - and a sentence is defined by the fullstop. If it has a full stop, it cannot be a question. Thus if it has a questionmark it cannot be a sentence:)

[GRITS]

I thought you guys were just computer geeks, not silisophical ones

two links for you fun answer

and

wikipedia definition

[8-up]

If you'd like, I can make it sound more geeky. :D


Think of sentence as an object.
It has properties that make it what it is:

• subject<>
  
• verb<>
  
• object<>
  
• punctuation mark<>
  [st]There can be multiple instances of this object that inherit ALL of the sentence object properties.
  Each instance will have its own methods and properties to make it different than all of the other sentence instances.
  
  A statement is an instance of the sentence object.
  It inherits the subject, verb, object, and punctuation mark properties of sentence.
  
  A question is also an instance of the sentence object.
  It inherits the subject, verb, object, and punctuation mark properties of sentence, and also adds its own property. I'll call it &quot;the question word&quot; because I don't know what it's really called.
  
  Let's assign some values to these things.
  
  Example 1: I am fine.
  Properties inherited from sentence:
  subject = &quot;I&quot;;
  verb = &quot;am&quot;;
  object = &quot;fine&quot;; // An adjective used as an object to describe the subject
  puncMark = &quot;.&quot;;
  
  No other unique properties are needed to describe the statement instance.
  
  
  Example 2: How do you do?
  Properties inherited from sentence:
  subject = &quot;you&quot;;
  verb = &quot;do&quot;;
  object = &quot;do&quot;;
  puncMark = &quot;?&quot;;
  
  Properties unique to question:
  questionWord = &quot;How&quot;;
  
  So, as you can see, both instances inherit ALL of the properties of the sentence object; therefore, both are sentences. However, statement does not equal question.

[Ichigo]

is an apple a yacht?:D

[8-up]

is an apple a yacht?:D

If the apple inherits all the properties of the yacht, then yes.

[Ichigo]

well they both float.. and they can be the same colour! OMG AN APPLE IS A YACHT!

[Miagi]

posted to add poll.

[FreeFall]

lol you guys are gonna go onto some weird philsophical debate now.

If the apple holds all traits of a yacht how can one define yacht and apple seperately? for that matter how do you know that either of them float? You see them floating and all of your senses tell you that the yacht and apple are two seperate objects floating but suppose these thougt processes are just the result of a mad scientist poking and prodding your brain which he keeps in a jar.

[Wanksta]

I figure when we turned in homework where we had to write a five sentence paragragh the teacher never said no that question isnt a sentence right?

^
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sentence

[8-up]

lol you guys are gonna go onto some weird philsophical debate now.

If the apple holds all traits of a yacht how can one define yacht and apple seperately? for that matter how do you know that either of them float? You see them floating and all of your senses tell you that the yacht and apple are two seperate objects floating but suppose these thougt processes are just the result of a mad scientist poking and prodding your brain which he keeps in a jar.

An apple can only be a yacht if it inherits ALL of its properties from yacht.
A yacht is a subclass of boat (or ship if it's big enough), so the apple would have to have ALL the properties of boat.

Let's assume that that the yacht Fr0oTy mentioned is a full-size yacht, capable of transporting human objects (i.e. Not a toy). Even it if was a toy, the resulting properties would still be the same - only with different values.

Are there a certain properties of yacht that make it unique from other instances of [/i]boat[/i]?
Size? Shape? Propulsion method? Number of toilet paper rolls?

If you could make the properties and property values of apple match the properties and property values of yacht, then yes...an apple couple be a used as a yacht.

If you can make apple big enough to transport a human - assuming it still carries the &quot;floating&quot; property - then apple couple be a subclass of boat

However, a yacht that does not float would still be a yacht with the floating property set to false.
An apple with the floating property set to false would merely be a drowned apple that was formerly used as a yacht.

SO...no, an apple is not a yacht


But, we're talking about sentences here....
Is a question a sentence? I still say yes.
Is a statement a sentence? Yes.
Is a question a statement? No.

[fritoman]

Is a question a statement? No.
I believe a sentence could be made of a statement in the form of a question, dont you?

[8-up]

Is a question a statement? No.
I believe a sentence could be made of a statement in the form of a question, dont you?

Well, it can...if we add a little thing called rhetoric

[FreeFall]

I believe a sentence could be made of a statement in the form of a question, dont you?

Good example of a statement in the form of a question.

The way I see it a sentence is a string of words which create any statement, question, etc. that fit within linguistic and grammatical guidelines. A question is just a label for that form of a sentence and likewise a statement is a label for its form of a sentence.

BTW, Frito, I might be wrong but I think your statement + question is just a statement with a tag question added onto the end.

[8-up]

BTW, Frito, I might be wrong but I think your statement + question is just a statement with a tag question added onto the end.

You are correct. But it's called a &quot;tie down&quot; question.