[1501.] There are two kinds of questions: (1.) Such questions as call for the answer yes or no in English: as, is he gone? These may conveniently be called Yes or No Questions. (2.) Questions introduced by an interrogative pronoun, or by a word derived from an interrogative pronoun: as, who is gone? where is he? These are called Pronoun Questions.
[1502.] (1.) Yes or No questions are sometimes put without any interrogative particle: as,
Thraex est Gallīna Syrō pār? H. S. 2, 5, 44, of two gladiators, is Thracian Bantam for the Syrian a match? Often intimating censure: as, rogās? Pl. Aul. 634, dost ask? or what an absurd question. prōmpsistī tū illī vīnum? :: nōn prōmpsī, Pl. MG. 830, thou hast been broaching wine for him? :: not I. Especially with nōn: as, patēre tua cōnsilia nōn sentīs? C. 1, 1, you don’t see that your schemes are out? It is often doubtful whether such sentences are questions, exclamations, or declarations.
[1503.] (2.) Yes or No questions are usually introduced by one of the interrogative particles -ne or -n, nōnne, num, an, anne.
[1504.] A question with -ne or -n may enquire simply, without any implication as to the character of the answer, or it may either expect an affirmative answer like nōnne, or less frequently a negative answer like num: as,
([a.]) valen? Pl. Tri. 50, art well? habētin aurum? Pl. B. 269, have you got the gold? (b.) iussīn in splendōrem darī bullās hās foribus? Pl. As. 426, didn’t I give orders to polish up the bosses of the door? facitne ut dixī? Pl. Am. 526, isn’t he acting as I said? (c.) istō immēnsō spatiō quaerō, Balbe, cūr Pronoea vestra cessāverit. labōremne fugiēbat? DN. 1, 22, I want to know, Balbus, why your people’s Providence lay idle all that immeasurable time; it was work she was shirking, was it? quid, mundum praeter hunc umquamne vīdistī? negābis, DN. 1, 96, tell me, did you ever see any universe except this one? you will say no.
[1505.] Sometimes the -ne of an interrogative sentence is transferred to a following relative, chiefly in Plautus and Terence: as, rogās? quīne arrabōnem ā mē accēpistī ob mulierem? Pl. R. 860, how can you ask, when you have got the hansel for the girl from me? Similarly, ō sērī studiōrum, quīne putētis difficile, H. S. 1, 10, 21, what laggards at your books, to think it hard, i.e. nōnne estis sērī studiōrum, quī putētis difficile? Compare 1569.
[1506.] To a question with nōnne, a positive answer is usually expected, seldom a negative: as,