which form is more appropriate? Direct/indirect questions

[Klpno]

Hi everyone

I'd like to ask the following question.

1. I'd like to ask what does it mean?
2. I'd like to ask what it means?

I have a feeling that I've seen both these variants used. But is there any difference between them (maybe stylistic) or not?

And which one (1 or 2) is direct question and which one is not?

[Lost_Soul]

Hi,

In fact, 2 is right and 1 is wrong. Your sentence is declarative and therefore no question mark after it
I'd like to ask what it means

[Klpno]

Thank you very much, Alex.

[Klpno]

By the way, Alex, i found an example of a sentence that is similar to the thing I asked about:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3886617.stm
1. "I'd like to ask what are his hopes for peace in my country, as I'm Irish." (Martin Shanahan, of Cork - who now lives in London - who was first in line having arrived at the bookshop 26 hours before the scheduled signing.)

Martin says "what are his hopes" not "what his hopes for peace... are."
That's why I'm a little confused with all this.

[Alan]

Hi,

An interesting point. I would call this a bit of 'journalese' a licence used by a journalist to say the unconventional. It's a sort of hybrid indicating a mixture of direct and indirect question. In a way it's more effective than the acceptable: 'what his hopes are' - in a way more dramatic albeit technically 'ungrammatical'.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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[Michauek]

I'm not sure and want to ask some more questions !

Due to the fact that " I'd like to ask..." is a declarative form we do not put the following phrase as a question, am I right?
I'd like to ask what it means... not I'd like to ask what does it mean?

is the same thing with

What time is it? (question)
Could you tell me what time it is ?

if we use could you as an interrogative part we don't use interrogative word orded aftewards?

terribly confusing :/
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Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. Oscar Wilde
Michal. I'm an english student

[Yankee]

[Michauek]

thx a lot ! I follow it now !
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Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. Oscar Wilde
Michal. I'm an english student

[Klpno]

Alan, Amy, Alex thank you very much for your explanations.
Michaeuk, thank you for your question that caused further explanations.