MARSHLATIN.WORDPRESS.COM Interrogative Sentences

There are several kinds of interrogative sentences  Sentence questions (`yes/no questions’  Word questions (`wh-questions')  Rhetorical questions

Word Questions Word questions are questions that contain an interrogative pronoun, adjective or adverb.  Quis (who)  Quid (what)  Ubi (where)  Quando (when)  Cur (why) Such sentences enquire about the identity of a certain constituent.

Rhetorical (Sentence) Questions Sentence questions aim at the confirmation or denial of the sentence as a whole. These can be introduced by interrogative particles  -ne (yes/no)  Num (surely…not)  Nonne (surely…)  An (whether)

Interrogative Particles In interrogative sentences one does, of course, expect to find interrogative particles (besides the particles -ne, num, nonne mentioned above). Interrogative sentences can, however, also be used with other illocutionary forces, e.g. with an assertive illocutionary force (i.e. rhetorical question). In such instances we do expect to find expressions that show that the addressee is supposed to know the answer, e.g. enim:  quo enim se, repulsos ab Romanis, ituros  (`For to whom would they turn, after having been rejected by the Romans', Liv )

Echo Questions We can distinguish `echo questions'. Such questions follow a declarative or imperative sentence. Examples:  audi :: ego audiam  (`Listen :: should I (listen)?', Ter. An. 894)  numquam auferes hinc aurum :: atque iam dabis :: dabo?  (`You will never take the gold away from here :: and yet you shall give it to me :: shall I?', Pl. Bac. 824–5)

More About Echo Questions: The rhetorical force of echo questions is often negative-assertive:  `I will not listen‘  `I will not give it to you’ Interrogative sentences may also have a directive illocutionary force particularly questions in the second person introduced by quin. An example:  quin quiescis?  (`Will you calm down?' Pl. Capt. 636)