What is the best question for " it is the 5th meeting&q

Geoff_One   Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:26 am GMT
<< I don't like the following.

3A) "Chronologically speaking, which meeting is this?" >>

Characters in television programs/movies such as Doctor Who speak this way. If you watch a lot of these types of programs/movies then such speech becomes natural. Call it Doctor Whoese if you like. Another example - Mr Spock.

<< 3C) "Ordinally categorize this meeting please?"

Of course, there should not be a question mark there as it is a request not a question. (Just trying to be helpful.) >>

Technically speaking, you are correct. However, by invoking poetic licence or something akin to this, one can claim a right to use the question mark. There are also other points, which can help defend the usage of the question mark.
Jim   Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:02 am GMT
Sure, if you want to sound like Dr Who or Dr Spock go ahead but my main problem is "chronologically" bit. Replace it with "sequentially" and you'll be right.

Yeah, you'll usually get away with using the question mark but not if you're doing a grammar test. Just the old pedant in me coming out.
Jim   Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:11 am GMT
the ...

the "chronologically" bit
Navid-iran   Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:45 pm GMT
Thank you again. I concluded that native speakers of English seldom ask such a question. In other words we do not have "whichth" in English. and adverbs like "chronologically" and"sequentially" are not used in all situations (formal and informal) in the society. lets continue.
Aswin J Mathews   Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:45 pm GMT
... :) ... i am a native malayalam speaker... this is a question we normally ask to confuse english speakers..... we ask them to transalate a question into english from malayalam... the answer to the question is "George Washington was the first president of USA" ... The thing is theres a word in malayalam which asks u for the no. in chrono order... it doesnt exist in english.... .ofcourse, i had googled this a long time back, and had found an extinct english word which served the purpose.... i dont remember the word now ... but am sure u can find it with a bit of research!