undefined | Better HN

0 pointsvidarh1y ago0 comments

I feel it's a meek way of saying "how it works".

Instead of saying "Click here and I'll tell you how it works", you're saying "did you have a question about how it works? If so, click here and I'll tell you". I'd argue it's still valid English, but it feels uncertain and weak, like you're not quite sure that's the right question to answer.

0 comments

dylan6041y ago

How it works - declarative statement. This is how it works

How it works? - an unsure comment about it kind of works but unsure how/why is correct reason. i typically add additional ??? to help convey the unsure nature without using shrug emoji

How does it work? - interrogatory of wanting the answer

vidarhOP1y ago

> an unsure comment about it kind of works but unsure how/why is correct reason

I'd never interpret it that it way. "It works(?)" or "It works?!?" I'd interpret that way, but "How it works?" to me is firmly questioning the statement itself, not how it works.

dylan6041y ago

Leaving out the How totally changes it though. "It works?!?" means it's working but you don't know how/why nor really care. Kind of like everyone importing 3rd party libraries. It works, but don't care to know how. Just move that card to the done column. "How it works?!?" means there's an attempt at the explanation but it might not be the best explanation if even correct.

latexr1y ago

Could’ve done exactly that and be grammatically correct by simply removing the question mark.

vidarhOP1y ago

My point is that it was still grammatically correct with the question mark, but the meaning is subtly different.

esafak1y ago

"How it works, I think?"

The author is not quite sure.

vidarhOP1y ago

Adding a question mark to a statement can imply they're not sure, but it can also they're no sure about the statement, rather than about the subject of the statement.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

dylan6041y ago

How it works - declarative statement. This is how it works

How it works? - an unsure comment about it kind of works but unsure how/why is correct reason. i typically add additional ??? to help convey the unsure nature without using shrug emoji

How does it work? - interrogatory of wanting the answer

vidarhOP1y ago

> an unsure comment about it kind of works but unsure how/why is correct reason

I'd never interpret it that it way. "It works(?)" or "It works?!?" I'd interpret that way, but "How it works?" to me is firmly questioning the statement itself, not how it works.

dylan6041y ago

latexr1y ago

Could’ve done exactly that and be grammatically correct by simply removing the question mark.

vidarhOP1y ago

My point is that it was still grammatically correct with the question mark, but the meaning is subtly different.

esafak1y ago

"How it works, I think?"

The author is not quite sure.

vidarhOP1y ago

Adding a question mark to a statement can imply they're not sure, but it can also they're no sure about the statement, rather than about the subject of the statement.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse