When in conversation many times people ask questions that they obviously know the answer to or questions that they did not expect an answer for. This is considered a rhetorical question. I find myself and others asking rhetorical questions very often commonly for sarcastic use. They appear to be of no importance and completely irrelevant, but they definitely have a way of making a conversation lively and funny.
A rhetorical question implies its own answer and is a way of making a point. For example, saying to someone “Are you crazy?!” does not mean that you think they are actually crazy, and does not require the person to explain why they did what they did, but to imply that person must have done something insane. Another example is when something bad happens and ones response is “Why me?”, they are not necessarily asking for an answer to why, its just an expression of their feelings in a question form.
Sometimes rhetorical questions are also used to get someone thinking and and to persuade one to understand your opinion. For example, in advertisements and commercials rhetorical questions are used to get the audience thinking and interested in the topic or product that they are trying to sell.
Speakers can also use rhetorical questions so that they can proceed to answer them. For example, during a speech someone would say something like “Do we need a change? Yes!” They do not expect they audience to answer they only state the issue in a question form to make a stronger point.
I’ve noticed that rhetorical questions are used in so many everyday situations, in my readings for classes and on television shows I am watching on my free time. If you really actually pay attention to them and focus on how it was used and the point that was trying to be made it can be very interesting.
This Gieco commercial is a great example of rhetorical questions and how they are used, and its pretty funny. =]
I think the reason rhetorical questions work so well in ads is because they force the consumer to think about possibilities, sometimes. For example, in the newest Esurance commercials (voiced by John Krasinski <3), the narrator asks rhetorical questions about what it would be like if there were a company run to save its consumers money. Of course, he doesn't expect an answer, but listeners think, "Yeah, what if there was a company designed to save me money, that'd be nice." And then bam, guess what, there IS a company like that. When consumers hear this, they're intrigued because it seems like reality is reflecting ideal possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThere commercials are a great example of rhetorical questions, and I totally agree that rhetorical questions are a great device for making a point. On an unrelated note though, am I the only one that is bothered by the fact that there aren't any Geico commercials that actually present the viewer with facts about their product? Sure, they constantly parrot that "15 minutes could save..." mantra, but we've heard that time and time again and really, I don't know anything about that company besides the fact that they have about twelve different ad campaigns for their company. Rhetorical questions must really work to sell insurance, because that's about all their ads seem to have going for them.
ReplyDeleteRhetorical Questions are clever; they wake audiences up and make them think. It is especially effective in persuasive speeches. The messenger allows the audience to answer the question in their heads. I love this Geico advert because it juxtaposes the rhetorical question 'could Geico save...."with is 'Ed too tall Jones too tall?" Well of course Ed too tall Jones is too tall. The messenger has therefore answered his own rhetorical question.
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