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The Interpersonal Functions Of Rhetorical Questions As Strategies In Chinese Contexts

Posted on:2008-02-13Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:X G FangFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360215968487Subject:Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
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Since most of the previous researches reviewed have been found inadequate to unearth the intricacy and dynamics of rhetorical questions (RQs), the present study attempts to delve into the diversified interpersonal functions of RQs utilized as a communicative strategy to realize the addresser's communicative goals, and reveal their dynamic adaptability in Chinese contexts by resorting to Verschueren (2000) 's Adaptation Theory as the conceptual framework. Methodologically speaking, this study is a qualitative one based on the data extracted from some famous contemporary Chinese TV series.Having discussed how RQs can be identified and interpreted in Chinese contexts from a pragmatic point of view and presented the conceptual framework for the analysis of RQs, we come to the core parts of the study, namely the interpersonal functions of RQs and the realization of their adaptation in Chinese contexts. Two broad categories of interpersonal functions in Chinese contexts are found after a detailed analysis of the data: on the one hand, settling interpersonal conflicts, including redressing undesirable assertives (e.g. criticism, sarcasm, disagreement, etc.) and minimizing the imposition of certain competitive directives (e.g. deterring, urging, etc.); on the other hand, intensifying interpersonal relationships by increasing the politeness degree of performing certain convivial speech acts (e.g. invitation, offering help, praising, etc.). It is further demonstrated that RQs are actually a product of the communicators' linguistic choice stemming from the dynamic inter-adaptation between the linguistic forms and their contextual correlates. Central to discussion are two worlds from the communicative context which constrain communicators' choice-making of RQs, namely, the social world and the mental world. Specifically, it is mainly the unequal power relations and the close social distance between the interlocutors and the addresser's negative emotions and motivation that exert a significant influence on the production and interpretation of RQs in everyday communication in Chinese contexts. Furthermore, the face-saving principle proposed by Brown and Levinson (1978; cited in He, 2003: 83-84) and the Politeness Principle proposed by Leech (1983) also play a crucial role in the adaptation process of rhetorical question use to the contextual factors in that they work as politeness strategies to enable interlocutors to achieve their communicative goals.The study of a special category of Chinese RQs frequently utilized as offering help or invitation by the addresser to demonstrate attitudinal warmth to others so as to intensify the interpersonal relationship, a type which rarely occurs in Westerners' daily conversations, manifests that the traditional Chinese culture is another significant factor to which the choice of RQs is often adapted in addition to the factors mentioned above. It is the typical Chinese culture with the de-emphasis of individualism that shapes the Chinese's unique concept of politeness, namely their perceiving the demonstration of warmth, concern and hospitality to others as an act of politeness, though it tends to be interpreted as a threat to the addressee's negative face in Western culture; consequently the Chinese's special notion of politeness leads to their characteristic use of RQs.
Keywords/Search Tags:rhetorical question, communicative strategy, interpersonal function, adaptation, contextual correlate
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