The Functions of Rhetorical Questions in the Structure of Argumentative Discourse in Russian Political and Diplomatic Texts

This article discusses the functions of the rhetorical question in the political argumentation in speeches by Russian politicians. As the analysis shows, the pragmatic function of these means is dominant in the use of the rhetorical question in argumentative political discourse. In other words, a rhetorical question is not only a means of enhancing the emotionality of speech and, as a result, the level of perception and attention, but also a pragmatic mechanism of influence on the model of the listener