Marking questions in a story narration


In English if someone asks a question in a narrative it would go something
like:

> "Where are you going?" he **asked**.

but rarely, if ever:

> "Where are you going?" he **said**.

Is the same true in Japansese? For example:

> 「根っからのほめられ好きだね」まる子はあきれたように **言った** 。
>
> "At heart, you're a fan of being praised aren't you?" **said** Maruko
> disgustedly.  
>  *"At heart, you're a fan of being praised are you?" **asked** the
> astonished Maruko.

I'm pretty sure my first translation is the correct one. But my question is
can you still use 言う if the part in quotes is a question? Is my second
translation a possibility?

I fear my use of a tag question (ね) might confuse things. Just noticed that
both my translations actually have questions in the quotes and yet in English
the second would definitely take "asked". The first could either take "asked"
or "said" depending on the intonation of the quote. If you could give an
answer that covers both normal questions and tag questions that would be
great. Thanks.




In general, "(と)～は言った" is also natural after a question, and people often use
it randomly to avoid monotonousness. FWIW, in novels, some writers prefer 訊いた
instead of 聞いた. (訊 is a non-jōyō-kanji which is specifically used for きく in
the sense of "asking a question".)

In this case, まる子は言った would be better, because 「根っからのほめられ好きだね」 was probably
said with a falling intonation, and does not sound like a true question.
まる子は聞いた implies "～, aren't you?(↗)" (rising intonation).




In general, "(と)～は言った" is also natural after a question, and people often use
it randomly to avoid monotonousness. FWIW, in novels, some writers prefer 訊いた
instead of 聞いた. (訊 is a non-jōyō-kanji which is specifically used for きく in
the sense of "asking a question".)

In this case, まる子は言った would be better, because 「根っからのほめられ好きだね」 was probably
said with a falling intonation, and does not sound like a true question.
まる子は聞いた implies "～, aren't you?(↗)" (rising intonation).

