Question or statement?

Question

Suppose there is very cold weather of zero temperature. Someone might say "How cold is that" (usually with uptalk inflection). I think they mean "How cold that is". Really it sounds like a question, but is meant as a statement. The style bothers me. Where did this style come from? Is it incorrect?

Answer 1

Your question is a very astute one. If you want to get bothered even more, read Shakespeare. What you're witnessing is the growth, evolution, whatever you want to call it, that occurs gradually. Some of what bothers people today will be normal a generation from now, others that bother people today will end up being forgotten.