修辭問句作為雄辯與修辭的重要構成部分，頻繁出現(xiàn)在演說、報道、社論、廣告、教學、日常話語等不同語域語體中；而國內(nèi)學者對修辭問句的界定、特征、標示、功能及運用的理論框架等方面的研究則較少。本書以語料庫為研究工具，提取西方獨白式文本中的修辭問句，以語用學的主流理論關聯(lián)理論為框架，對修辭問句的使用原因、句式特征、文本功能、言語接受者辨別修辭問句類型、推斷言者話語意圖的過程等進行了深入分析，以期填補空白，拋磚引玉，為對英語修辭、語料庫的應用、語用學新發(fā)展感興趣的學者們提供借鑒。
本書主要研究兩個問題。首先，探索言語接受者是如何辨別一個問句并非是真正問句，而是不需回答的旨在傳達一個命題的修辭問句，又是如何推斷出言者的話語意圖，隱含之意的，論證了主張人類交流是通過對言語進行賦碼與解碼來實現(xiàn)的話碼模式不足以解析修辭問句的隱含之意：修辭問句的分析必須引入推理模式。而1986 年法國學者斯波伯（Sperber）和英國學者威爾遜（Wilson）提出的關聯(lián)理論作為推理模式的重要代表，能夠成功揭開修辭問句使用及理解的神秘面紗。其次，本書通過語料庫數(shù)據(jù)，探討了修辭問句有哪些不同的類型，又是如何分別在獨白式文本語境下幫助言者實現(xiàn)其說服的意圖的。
本書不僅包含了理論論證，也是對語料庫數(shù)據(jù)的定性研究，目前語料庫的應用研究主要集中在詞匯學、語義學和句法領域。本書從英國國家語料庫（BNC）與英國書面語語料庫（FLOB）中提取語料，并自建兩個文本語料庫作為補充，涉及英美兩個國家的政治演講和報紙社評兩個語域，嘗試把語料庫的研究擴展到修辭和語用的領域。
在本書的第一部分，基于關聯(lián)理論中的隱含之意（implicature）、互明（mutual manifestness）和最佳關聯(lián)（optimal relevance）這三個核心概念，建構了鑒別修辭問句的基本步驟。在之后的論述中，這個鑒別準則被應用于兩個獨白式語域中用來提取和解析其中的修辭問句，并論證了修辭問句在這兩個語域中的共有及獨有特征。
本書進一步印證了相對于奧斯�。ˋustin）和瑟爾（Searle）的言語行為理論與格萊斯（Grice）的合作原則而言，關聯(lián)理論對于修辭問句的使用與功能具有更強大的解釋力。旨在為交流者更好地理解修辭問句，避免交流誤解的產(chǎn)生，對語言使用這一大范疇做出貢獻。
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Research back ground
1.2 Research objectives
1.3 Outlines of the current study
Chapter 2 Literature review
2.1 Previous definitions and features of RQs
2.2 Previous distinction between RQs and other question types
2.3 Previous identification of RQs by linguistic indicators and context
2.4 Previous studies on functions of RQs
2.5 Previous studies on the two genres involved in the current study
2.6 Summary
Chapter 3 Theoretical framework Relevance Theory
3.1 Speech Act Theory
3.2 Gricean Maxims vs. neo-Griceans and post-Griceans
3.3 The major concepts in Relevance Theory
3.4 Summary of claims in Relevance Theory
3.5 Interpretation of interrogatives in Relevance Theory
3.6 Interpretation of figurative language in Relevance Theory
3.7 Interpretation process of an utterance in Relevance Theory
Chapter 4 Methodology in the current study
4.1 Methodological procedure of the current study
4.2 Brief introduction to corpus linguistics and the corpora used in the current study
4.3 Extracting questions from the two genres
4.4 Criterion for identifying and interpreting an RQ in the current study
4.5 Summary
Chapter 5 Applying analysis categories：question types for inclusion or exclusion
5.1 Cases excluded from the current study
5.2 Distinguishing RQs from other question types in the data
5.3 Analysis of RQ categories
5.4 Summary
Chapter 6 Analysis of RQs in American and British campaign speeches
6.1 Theoretical considerations of Speech Act Theory and Gricean Principle in accounting for political RQs
6.2 Use of RQs rather than direct assertions in political speeches
6.3 Identification and interpretation of political RQs with linguistic indicators in terms of Relevance Theory
6.4 Identification and interpretation of political RQs without linguistic indicators in terms of Relevance Theory
6.5 RQs with explicit answers provided in political speeches
6.6 RQs not observing polarity shift in political speeches
6.7 RQs containing other rhetorical devices in political speeches
6.8 Summary
Chapter 7 Analysis of RQs in newspaper editorials
7.1 Theoretical considerations of Speech Act Theory and Gricean Principle in accounting for editorial RQs
7.2 Mode-related differences between RQs in political speeches and newspaper editorials
7.3 Identification and interpretation of editorial RQs with linguistic indicators in terms of Relevance Theory
7.4 Identification and interpretation of editorial RQs without linguistic indicators in terms of Relevance Theory
7.5 RQs with explicit answers provided in editorials
7.6 RQs not observing polarity shift in editorials
7.7 RQs containing other rhetorical devices in editorials
7.8 RQs serving as titles or subtitles in newspaper editorials
7.9 Summary
Chapter 8 Conclusions
8.1 Background to the current study
8.2 Summary of the discussion throughout the current study
8.3 Summary of contributions to the field of RQ study
8.4 Limitations，applications and avenues for future research
References
Appendices
Index
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