Seemingly non-interrogative use of sentence-ending か


I keep on coming across the particle か at the end of sentences without it
having a clear or necessary interrogative nuance.

An example. The 1st Angel in Neon Genesis Evangelion is regenerating itself
after the first raid: 予想通り、自己修復中か. Why would they introduce an interrogative
nuance into what was already a predicted outcome?

I get the impression that Japanese speech encourages the use of か without any
specific interrogative or grammatical purpose other than providing a strong
phonetic closure to a sentence? Can anyone confirm or dispel this impression?




This function of this か is not purely phonetic, but rather serves to make the
sentence less of a outward statement and more of a self-directed or self-
reflecting one.

It makes the information value of sentence primarily be “I had considered ~
previously but wasn’t sure, but in the end it indeed it is 〜, huh...”

It’s often is accompanied by やっぱり (or 予想通り playing a similar role in this
sentence). Even when such an adverb isn’t present, you can imagine it being
there. E.g. そっか{HHL} can basically be expanded to やっぱりそうだったのか.




This function of this か is not purely phonetic, but rather serves to make the
sentence less of a outward statement and more of a self-directed or self-
reflecting one.

It makes the information value of sentence primarily be “I had considered ~
previously but wasn’t sure, but in the end it indeed it is 〜, huh...”

It’s often is accompanied by やっぱり (or 予想通り playing a similar role in this
sentence). Even when such an adverb isn’t present, you can imagine it being
there. E.g. そっか{HHL} can basically be expanded to やっぱりそうだったのか.

