What is a rhetorical question?

Question

my mateys have tried to explain but it just doesn't make sense, surley there is an answer for every question.

Answer 1

Are you stupid or what? (That's a rhetorical question because I'm not really expecting you to say "Yes" or "No", just provoking you).

Is the Pope a Catholic? (That's a typical rhetorical question because everyone knows the answer; the purpose of the question is to say that a question asked previously has a very obvious answer).

George Bush might say, for example, "Should we have left Saddam Hussein in power to continue to terrorise the Iraqi people and the free world?" This would be a rhetorical question because you know he's just asking us to say "No!"

Rhetoric is when we say something more than we really mean, or less, or just something different, to make a point.

Answer 2

Rhetorical
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical

Answer 3

Hi Fanny
Well this is almost bizarre because a rhetorical question is a question where one does not expect an answer. Are you expecting an answer?
Often used in public speaking to make a point where the speaker asks a question of the audience not expecting an answer as it is either obvious or about to be explained. For example what is a rhetorical question.....or is the pope a catholic.

Answer 4

A rhetorical question is one that requires no answer because the answer is obvious and doesn't need to be stated . The speaker (of the rhetorical question) is not looking for an answer but is making some kind of a point, as in an argument.

Answer 5

When you ask a questions but you are not interested on its answer as much as trying to make a point. For example, you could talk about class mates that are always a jerk. So you could explain the story to some friend of yours. At the end you would say, "Who would do that?! You know?". At this point you are not interested to know who would do that, but you want to make a point that those classmates of yours are completely useless, or they are so stupid, etc. Another example of rhetorical question would be, "To be or not to be. That is the question". From Hamlet, Shakespear.

Answer 6

Remember when your mum says:" How many times have I told you to clean your bedroom"? If you sat down and said to her,"actually mother it has now been 372 times", you would probably get a clip round the ear! This is rhetorical - she doesn't really want an answer. Rhetorical questions are usually used to make a reader or listener think, rather than to get a specific answer. Hope this helps!

Answer 7

It is a question used in a speech, most of the times. The question will make your speech becomes more interesting and will attract attention from the audience.
E.g. Have you ever heard about stem cells? Today I'll talk about.........
Rhetorical question does not need any answer, just makes your audience wondering.

Answer 8

A rhetorical question is a question that can't be answered and works the mind.
i.e.,
What is the sound of a one hand clapping?
If a tree falls down in the middle of the woods, and there's no-one round to hear it, does it make a noise?

Answer 9

Rhetor(ΡΗΤΩΡ) is the speaker in Greek So rhetorical question is when you ask just to give yourself the opportunity to speak

Answer 10

It's a question that you don't expect someone else to answer for you. Like if a man is complaining about his girlfriend to his pals, he might say, "What do women WANT?"

He's saying it for dramatic effect, and doesn't want his mates to come up with suggestions. LOL.