question marks

[Amy Elias]

Those of us down South are very familiar with that
lilting upturn at the end of sentences that turn all to
questions.  I assumed, especially in relation to Dixon's
speech (which they characterize), that the question
marks indicate dialect.  But dialect is culture and
character, yes?  Those question marks indicate Dixon's
class, his ironic wit, his mastery of the ambiguous
cut as well, I think.

A