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The Rhetorical Question

The Rhetorical Question. The product of sarcasm? Yes. So how exactly is it rhetorical? Well, a simple definition of the rhetorical question is that it is a question that is asked simply to make a statement. It is not meant to be answered, only to get a point across.

The rhetorical question can be used to make an observation.
example- "Did you get dressed in the dark today?"
The speaker really isn't asking if your electricity was out when you picked out your ensemble. He's making an observation that your outfit is ugly, and you should probably be embarassed by it.

The rhetorical question can also be used to express an emotion.
example- "Why does this always happen to me?"
The speaker isn't speaking to a higher being, asking what he may have done to deserve such "treatment." He is simply expressing frustration, anguish, etc.




Click here for the Uncyclopedia's humorous definition of the rhetorical question.

Wat r u tryna tll me?

Text lingo. Ew. The thought of it makes me shudder. Not only does it completely defy all rules of grammar and spelling ever established, it is also nearly impossible to tell exactly what a person is trying to say. What I mean by that is, when you're speaking with someone in person, you have their facial expressions and the tone of their voice to clue you in on whether they're being mean, sarcastic, sweet, etc. Even when you're speaking with someone via phonecall, you still have the tone of their voice to clearly demonstrate what they mean.

So many arguments break out via text because someone misconstrues what the other person is trying to say. There are no cues to help us figure out the exact meaning of the text.