Functions of Rhetorical Questions in Rangi (F.33)

Functions of
Rhetorical Questions
in Rangi (F.33)
Oliver Stegen
Bantu 5 Conference
Paris, June 13-15, 2013
*part of larger project with Tom Matthews
Outline
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Use of Rhetorical Questions (RQs) in
Rangi translated texts
Theoretical background on RQs
Use of RQs in Rangi written texts
Findings and Conclusion
Translated Rangi
 Gospel
of Mark translated (up to 2009)
 non-narrative discourse workshop (2010)
 use of Translator’s Workplace (TW5)
 checklist “Rhetorical Questions in the
New Testament” (Moore & Anderson
1999)
Functions of RQs in Moore &
Anderson 1999
1. to emphasize that which is obviously positive
or negative
2. to specify a particular condition under which
something applies
3. to introduce a new subject or new aspect of
the same subject
4. to express surprise
5. to exhort or rebuke someone
6. to express uncertainty
7. to make a command
8. to confirm what is thought
Use of RQs in Rangi Mark
function
emphasis
condition
new subject
surprise
rebuke
command
mixed
sum
Mark (Greek)
14
3
5
2
30
1
6
61
Rangi
13 (-1)
2 (-1)
5
2
28 (-2)
-/- (-1)
6
56 (-5)
Definitions of RQs
“RQs have been defined by several
scholars such as Beekman & Callow
(1976), Cuddon (1979), Quirk,
Greenbaum, Leech & Svartvik (1985),
Richards, Platt & Weber (1990), Wales
(1991), and Yankah (1994) as that
question that is structurally the same as
any other question but which, usually, is
not designed or is not expected to elicit an
answer.”
(Abioye 2009: 2)
Definitions of RQs
“In the classical and early modern
rhetorical manuals, there is, however, no
single category of rhetorical question.
Instead, many devices involve the
syntactic and prosodic forms of
questioning, including erotema, pysma,
rogatio [interrogatio], hypophora
[anthypophora], aporia, epiplexis and more.
To simplify, three main types can be
derived from these many forms.”
(Fahnestock 2009: 198)
Definitions of RQs
1.
2.
3.
erotema : uses the form of a question to
make a statement, expecting the
audience to corroborate internally with
an emphatic ‘yes’ or ‘no’
rogatio : a question that the rhetor asks
and then answers
aporia : a question expressing and hence
raising a doubt
(Fahnestock ibid.)
RQ categories
 Hackstein’s
(2004) basic dichotomy:
pseudo-question vs. stimulus question
“Do two wrongs
make a right?”
answer implied,
not given
social interaction
“How come?”
answer provided
by speaker
discourse marker
RQs in African languages
 Zerbian
2006 (N.Sotho):
RQ = answer already known
 Warren-Rothlin 2007 (Hausa, Birifor …):
RQ = indirect speech act
 Harrison 2008 (Lingala):
RQ = directive form for social purpose
 Dube 2008 (Shona):
RQ = attention to expected answer
Database of original Rangi
 transcribed
oral recordings 2004 (6 texts)
 story booklet 2005 (7 texts)
 writers workshops 2005/06 (71 texts)
 primer 2006 (6 texts)
 discourse workshop 2010 (15 texts)
total of 105 texts
RQs in Rangi
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40 of 105 texts have RQs
total of 119 RQs
range from 1 to 28 RQs per text
of Moore & Anderson’s categories:
–
–
–
–
32 emphases, 29 rebukes, 14 uncertain
4 surprises, 1 command
no clear condition, new subject, or confirm
38 not clearly categorizable
RQ categories in Rangi
ává
và:ná
vá:ɲú
nɪ ́
2:DEM 2:child 2:2pl:POSS COP
tɕɛ ́
mʊ̀rɪ ́
kʷǐ:kàlà
nɔ:́ vɔ́
what
2pl:be
15:live
and:3pl
mʷì:kàlɔ̀
3:life
“These children of yours, what kind of life will
you live with them?”
RQ categories in Rangi
rávɪ:́ há
ákà
írí
ídàlá
IJCT
5:DEM
5:woman 5:REFL:bad
dʑɛí́
́ ɛ̀rà
rɔ:́ kɛm
ání
ádɔ̀mɛ ́
like:9
5:PROG:call
who
3sg:come:SBJV
“Oy, this womanny who is bad like this is calling
whom to come?”
RQ categories in Rangi
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pseudo-Q
75
stimulus Q
10
aporia (doubt) 27
only 7 unclear cases remain
RQ categories in Rangi
all hortatory texts have RQs (more
options)
 only 1 of 7 expository texts has RQs
(2 pseudo-Qs)
 in narrative, RQs occur either in speech
or by narrator
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Narrator’s pseudo-question
à:ndɛ ́
sí
dɛ̌:
NEG:COP
then 3sg:begin:SBJV
sá:kìrà
look:APPL
“Shouldn’t he begin looking for (them) then?”
Narrator’s stimulus question
ntʊ̀:dʑʊ́
ílʊ̀:sɛ ́
tɕɛ ́
9:hare
9:talk:SBJV
what
“What should Hare say?”
Narrator’s aporia (doubt)
à:mbʊ́kɛ ́
dʑɔ̀lí
3sg:climb_out:SBJV
how
“How should she climb out?”
Speech to self: Aporia
kɔ̀:nì
sì:mbà
jʊ̌:dʑìɾɛ̀
when
9:lion
9:come:ANT
ndʊ̀:sɛ ́
tɕɛ ́
1sg:talk:SBJV
what
“When the Lioness comes, what should I say?”
Conclusions
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pseudo-question addressed to others:
– obvious answer (e.g. for emphasis or as
rebuke)
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stimulus question addressed to others:
– answer given by speaker
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aporia in speech to self:
– no obvious answer, person’s thought process
Conclusions
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Rangi has all 3 main categories of RQs
hortatory > narrative > expository
all 3 main categories even for narrator
talking to self, only aporia (doubt)
application: adjust advice to translators