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to be arriving home

English translation: [rhetorical question]

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:What time is this to be arriving home, young lady?
Selected answer:[rhetorical question]
Entered by: Tony M

04:39 Jun 8, 2020
    The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2020-06-11 20:55:17 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)


English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / to be arriving home
English term or phrase: to be arriving home
What time is this to be arriving home, young lady?

Someone talking to his wife who she just came home. Why he used question to addresses her?

Thanks in advance,
S.J
Canada
Local time: 16:21
[rhetorical question]
Explanation:
It's a typical way of reproaching someone in EN, to ask a rhetorical question — not, of course, expecting an answer!
It's just another way of saying "You are very late getting home", but in a way that emphasizes the husband's displeasure.

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Note added at 1 hr (2020-06-08 06:32:15 GMT)
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@ Asker

No, you certainly can't twist it into that meaning! Which in any case doesn't really mean anything in EN — at any rate, not what you seem to think.
Even though he may not actually be angry about it, he clearly wants to register the fact that he is surprised / worried or whatever.
Also note that 'young lady' is a slightly admonishing way to address her, perhaps condescending, as if talking down to her like a small child.
I'm afraid this is very basic EN, if the concept is too difficult for you, then this terminology forum isn't really the right place for detailed analysis of basic EN grammar, nor of all the subtle nuances that can be expressed through the exact language employed.
I have already given you one suggestion as to how to express a similar tone without needing to use a question — I don't know what langage you are translating into, but it seems to me the problem you are having is trying to force a rhetorical question to become a literal one, which simply won't work with this kind of construction in EN!
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 22:21
Grading comment
Thanks a lot.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +4[rhetorical question]
Tony M


  

Answers


37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
[rhetorical question]


Explanation:
It's a typical way of reproaching someone in EN, to ask a rhetorical question — not, of course, expecting an answer!
It's just another way of saying "You are very late getting home", but in a way that emphasizes the husband's displeasure.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2020-06-08 06:32:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

@ Asker

No, you certainly can't twist it into that meaning! Which in any case doesn't really mean anything in EN — at any rate, not what you seem to think.
Even though he may not actually be angry about it, he clearly wants to register the fact that he is surprised / worried or whatever.
Also note that 'young lady' is a slightly admonishing way to address her, perhaps condescending, as if talking down to her like a small child.
I'm afraid this is very basic EN, if the concept is too difficult for you, then this terminology forum isn't really the right place for detailed analysis of basic EN grammar, nor of all the subtle nuances that can be expressed through the exact language employed.
I have already given you one suggestion as to how to express a similar tone without needing to use a question — I don't know what langage you are translating into, but it seems to me the problem you are having is trying to force a rhetorical question to become a literal one, which simply won't work with this kind of construction in EN!

Tony M
France
Local time: 22:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 309
Grading comment
Thanks a lot.
Notes to answerer
Asker: She seems late, but he doesn't seem really angry about it and he wasn't expecting an answer either. Can I say "When my young lady arrived"? Because I don't want to make it why you are late or as it is. Thank you.

Asker: Thank you. Sorry if it is too basic.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JaneTranslates: Agree as well with your response to the asker's question--unless there's a language/culture that does not utilize rhetorical questions or sarcasm.
9 mins
  -> Thanks, Jane!
agree  Reuben Wright: Agree with your response--the tone is authoritarian, "young lady". "When my young lady arrived" does not convey the context or meaning of the original.
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Reuben!
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: yes, it's simply rhetorical=what time do you call this? As for "young lady" part of the humour, not authoritarian at all in this context. Very basic English
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, Yvonne!
agree  Michael Barnett: Excellent explanation Tony. I'm not so sure though that the nuances are so "basic". I would think that understanding this correclty would require quite an advanced knowledge of English.
23 hrs
  -> Thanks, Michael! The expression is basic — not the nuances that can be conveyed by the choice of ways of exoressing things in EN.
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