Learn English – Rhetorical question

rhetoric

Today I served a customer dressed obviously for cycling. He came in with his trousers tucked into his socks and a very obvious cycling helmet.
I asked my colleague

Do you think he came on his bike?

She (is Polish with exceptionally proper English and) asked me how I would refer to a sarcastic question like that. Nearest I can think is rhetorical?

Best Answer

The device you might be using is an understatement:

This literary device refers to the practice of drawing attention to a fact that is already obvious and noticeable. Understating a fact is usually done by way of sarcasm, irony, wryness or any other form of dry humor. Understating something is akin to exaggerating its obviousness as a means of humor. (Literary-Devices.com)

In this case, not only did he come on a bike, but he is apparently a very enthusiastic cyclist.

Your question also might be considered sarcastic if your intent by it was to mock the way the person was dressed.

Irony is something different, where a statement of fact seems at odds with other facts:

That man who shot himself in the foot - he's a gun safety instructor.

There is no irony in your question (rhetorical or not) that suggests that there is a disconnect between what you are observing and how the person is dressed.

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