The mechanisms of implicit clauses in the rhetorical questions
Abstract
This paper presents a research on rhetorical questions which look like an interrogative clause, but do not require an answer, We argue that rhetorical questions are used when there is a view which is opposite to that of the speaker’s and there is a a demand to assert which view is right. The speaker uses the opposite view as the proposition of rhetorical questions and assesses it. By doing this , the speaker can express his/her views and deny the opposite view. Hence, a rhetorical question has the illocutionary force of an assertion which is the opposite of what is apparently asked.