([a.]) nōnne meministī? :: meminī vērō, TD. 2, 10, don’t you remember? :: oh yes. Sometimes a second or third question also has nōnne, but oftener nōn: as, nōnne ad tē L. Lentulus, nōn Q. Sanga, nōn L. Torquātus vēnit? Pis. 77, did not Lentulus and Sanga and Torquatus come to see you? (b.) nōnne cōgitās? RA. 80, do you bear in mind? nōnne is rare in Plautus, comparatively so in Terence, but very common in classical Latin.
[1507.] To a question with num a negative answer is generally expected. Less frequently either a positive or a negative answer indifferently: as,
([a.]) num negāre audēs? C. 1, 8, do you undertake to deny it? num, tibi cum faucēs ūrit sitis, aurea quaeris pōcula? H. S. 1, 2, 114, when thirst thy throat consumes, dost call for cups of gold? Rarely numne: as, quid, deum ipsum numne vīdistī? DN. 1, 88, tell me, did you ever see god in person? (b.) sed quid ais? num obdormīvistī dūdum? Pl. Am. 620, but harkee, wert asleep a while ago? numquīd vīs? Pl. Tri. 192, hast any further wish?
[1508.] A question with an, less often anne, or if negative, with an nōn, usually challenges or comments emphatically on something previously expressed or implied: as,
an habent quās gallīnae manūs? Pl. Ps. 29, what, what, do hens have hands? an is also particularly common in argumentative language, in anticipating, criticising, or refuting an opponent: as, quid dīcis? an bellō Siciliam virtūte tuā līberātam? V. 1, 5, what do you say? possibly that it was by your prowess that Sicily was rid of the war? at vērō Cn. Pompēī voluntātem ā mē aliēnābat ōrātiō mea. an ille quemquam plūs dīlēxit? Ph. 2, 38, but it may be urged that my way of speaking estranged Pompey from me. why, was there anybody the man loved more? In old Latin, an is oftener used in a single than in an alternative question, while in classical Latin it is rather the reverse.
[1509.] (3.) Yes or No questions are sometimes introduced by ecquis, ecquō, ecquandō, or ēn umquam: as,
heus, ecquis hīc est? Pl. Am. 420, hollo, is e’er a person here? ecquid animadvertis hōrum silentium? C. 1, 20, do you possibly observe the silence of this audience? ([1144]). ō pater, ēn umquam aspiciam tē? Pl. Tri. 588, O father, shall I ever set mine eyes on thee?
[1510.] (4.) In Plautus, satin or satin ut, really, actually, sometimes becomes a mere interrogative or exclamatory particle: as, satin abiīt ille? Pl. MG. 481, has that man really gone his way?