A Rhetorical Question in Obama’s Speeches "A Pragmatic Study"

Name of Author : Hadeer Jasim Mohammed, Nibras Ahmed Abdullah, Jagdish Joshi

Abstract: Speaking is the most powerful tool of communicating. Consequently, for leaders, rhetorical question is an essential tool for influencing and controlling people. Because society is usually looking for leaders or influencers, who have speech skills. The study addresses how President Barack Obama, the former president of the United States of America, used rhetorical questions in his various speeches. Since he is sufficiently skilful to persuade and convince his audience members of his suggestions. The present study reflects his rhetorical and linguistic ability while emphasizing the use of his various techniques: tales, rhetorical questions, and answers. The study aims at display the pragmatic function of rhetorical questions in order to reach this aim, it is hypothesized that rhetorical questions do not derive an answer like ordinary questions, but rather they state something, in other words; there is another meaning behind its literal meaning; (illocutionary force). Rhetorical questions are indirect speech acts and largely in political speeches they are employed to persuade the audience. In the present study, certain procedures have been followed: firstly: a survey of rhetorical questions, its form, and function with some details about the language of politics. Secondly; Obama an American political speeches have been selected that contain rhetorical questions and then analyzed on the bases of the adopted theory. Third, the results of the analysis are provided. The results revealed that Obama attempted to enhance his credibility and gain the desired answers from the public through the application of inartistic evidence, artistic evidence, speech arrangement, and persuasive language. The results also suggest that Obama followed the traditional components in his speeches. Sequences of rhetorical arguments, major ideas, and emphasis became its main rhetorical tools to gain the attention and popularity of the public.

Keywords : Political Rhetoric, Pragmatics, Rhetorical Question, Political Speeches, Obama

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