REAL AND IRREAL INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES IN THE INTERPRETATION OF ENGLISH LINGUISTS: AN ANALYSIS OF PRAGMATIC POTENTIAL AND ILLOCUTIONARY FORCE

Abstract

This article explores the semantic-syntactic and pragmatic features of real (genuine) and irreal (rhetorical, pragmatic) interrogative sentences in English linguistics. At the core of this research lie the linguistic nature of irreal interrogative meaning and the pragmatic potential of rhetorical questions. Utilizing Speech Act Theory and discourse-analysis methodologies, the study elucidates the asymmetry between syntactic form and communicative function. The findings demonstrate that while real interrogatives aim to fill an epistemic gap, irreal interrogatives transcend traditional questioning to serve as powerful tools for assertion, argumentation, and emotional expression in discourse