New Latin Grammar, page 129 by Charles E. Bennett
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al Questions. These are questions merely in form, being employed to express an emphatic assertion; as, quis dubitat, _who doubts?_ (_= no one doubts_).
4. Double Questions. Double Questions are introduced by the following particles:--
utrum ... an;
-ne ... an;
---- ... an.
If the second member is negative, annÅn (less often necne) is used. Examples:--
utrum honestum est an turpe, } honestumne est an turpe, } _is it honorable or base?_ honestum est an turpe, } suntne dÄ« annÅn, _are there gods or not?_
a. An was not originally confined to double questions, but introduced single questions, having the force of -ne, nÅnne, or num. Traces of this use survive in classical Latin; as,--
Ā rēbus gerendīs abstrahit senectūs. Quibus? An eīs quae juventūte geruntur et vīrībus? _Old age (it is alleged) withdraws men from active pursuits. From what pursuits? Is it not merely from those which are carried on by the strength of youth?_
5. Answers.
a. The answer YES is expressed by ita, etiam, vÄ“rÅ, sÄnÄ“, or by repetition of the verb; as,--
'vÄ«sne locum mÅ«tÄ“mus?' 'sÄnÄ“'. _'Shall we change the place?'_ _'Certainly.'_
'estÄ«sne vÅs lÄ“gatÄ«?' 'sumus.' _'Are you envoys?'_ _'Yes.'_
b. The answer NO is expressed by nÅn, minimÄ“, minimÄ“ vÄ“rÅ, or by repeating the verb with a negative; as,--
'jam ea praeteriit?' 'nÅn.' _'Has it passed?'_ _'No.'_
'estne frÄter intus?' 'nÅn est.' _'Is your brother within?'_ _'No.'_
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE.
163. The two essential parts of a sentence are the SUBJECT and PREDICATE.
The SUBJECT is that _concerning which something is said, asked, etc._ The PREDICATE is that _whi