In polemic communication, questions play a key role as a tool through which an orator not only expresses their opinion but also actively confirms it, forcing the listeners to involuntarily adopt the viewpoint being conveyed.

The Persuasive Strategy of Rhetorical Questions

In polemic communication, questions play a key role as a tool through which an orator not only expresses their opinion but also actively confirms it, forcing the listeners to involuntarily adopt the viewpoint being conveyed. Rhetorical questions place the interlocutor or audience in a situation where the answer appears obvious and inevitably aligns with the speaker’s position. In other words, when posing a question, the speaker is not so much expecting an answer as using it as an argument to support their point of view, thereby reinforcing confidence and dominance in the debate.

Particular attention to the audience’s auditory perception is also significant.

Questions delivered at the right moment can instantly capture the listeners’ attention, much like entering a dark room and automatically asking, “Who’s there?

”—a signal that demands an immediate response. This strategic use of questions emphasizes the most crucial points and makes the message striking and memorable.

Supporting citation(s):
"Entering a dark room, we ask: 'Who’s there?' Or: 'Is anyone here?' …" (source: link txt)
"The purpose of polemics is not to achieve consensus but to defeat the opposing side and affirm one’s own viewpoint." (source: link txt)

Thus, through the deliberate use of questions in polemic communication, the orator solidifies their position and captures the audience’s attention, creating a situation in which the answer to the question is already implied and serves as an additional argument in their favor.