A Brief Study Of Vague Illocutionaty Points Of Chinese Rhetorical Questions

The use of Chinese rhetorical questions is of great complexity in verbalbehavior. In addition, it is also a communicative act widely used in dailycommunication. However, different scholars focus on RQs from different researchpoints. This thesis emphasizes on the brief analysis of IPs of Chinese rhetoricalquestions, and the author finds that in certain context, in addition to express the usualIP in assertives, rhetorical questions can also express other types of IPs. So, IPs ofRQs are in a vague state. Considering the former researches partially explain themechanism and process of vague IPs of RQs, as well as lack of complete andsystematical support of theories. Therefore, on the basis of context from RT, thisthesis tends to analyse the generation and interpretation mechanism of vague IPs ofRQs in A Dream of Red Mansions from the perspective of cognitive pragmatics. Thepragmatic effects of vague IPs are also discussed in the thesis.This thesis consists of five chapters:Chapter One functions as a general introduction to the study, including therationale, objectives, research methodology and organization of this thesis.Chapter Two presents the literature review of related studies on RQs from theperspectives of rhetoric, grammar, linguistics and pragmatics.Chapter Three introduces the radical concepts of RT. Moreover, the authordescribes theoretical framework from the perspective of context. In the end of thischapter, the thesis applies theoretical framework to describe the generation andinterpretation mechanism of vague IPs of RQs.Chapter Four focuses on data description and case study. First, the thesispresents data description; next, generation and interpretation mechanism of vague IPsof RQs in A Dream of Red Mansions is analysed in detail. Last, the thesis probes intopragmatic effects of vague IPs.Chapter Five reaches a conclusion and presents the contributions of the thesis as follows:1. On the basis of context from RT, the thesis mainly applies context astheoretical framework to the analysis and discussion of the generation andinterpretation mechanism of vague IPs of RQs in A Dream of Red Mansions.2. Discussing the pragmatic effects of vague IPs of RQs in detail.This chapter also lists shortcomings of the thesis and provides suggestions forthe further study.