The Non -interrogative Function Of Interrogative Pronoun"Who

This paper is a research on the non-interrogative function of inter-rogative pronoun "who". Besides its basic questioning function, "who"can also be used in reference and statement. In the past, the non-inter-rogative usage of "who" was called flexible application. And researches onit lested on the descriptive level. This kind of description is in lack ofstrick classification and definition and is not indepth enough in delimitati-on.This paper aims at describing in detail the non-interrogative func-tion of "who" in term of contemporary and modern chinese. It tries to ex-plain from two aspects the reasons of the functional transmutation of"who" from "interrogative" to "non-interrogative": First, the contra-diction between the lack of specific indefinite pronouns in chinese andtheir demand in factual utterance. That is the internal cause; Second, therelation between interrogatives and assertive statements that is establishedby rhetorical questions. That is the external cause.This paper consists of four parts. Part one is an analysis of the non-interrogative function of "who" in contemperary chinese; Part two is ananalysis of the non - ineerrogative function of "who" in modern chinese;Part three is an explanation of the reasons of the transmutation "who"from "interrogative" to "non -- interrogative" function. It is composed ofthe discussion of the importance of indefinite reference in linguistic ex-pression on the base of the analysis of general yes -- no questions and indi-rect questions, and the explanation of the external cause of the transmuta-tion on the base of the analysis of rhetorical questions; Part four is theconclusion.