-ne

Forms

-ne (interrogative enclitic)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic -ne, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *-ne.^[2] De Vaan considers that it may ultimately be the same word as the negation *ne (“not”), and finds the doubts that Walde–Hofmann and Ernout–Meillet raised against this excessive.^[2] Wiktionary likewise derives it from this negation,^[1] and Lewis & Short call it a weakened form of ⟨nē⟩.^[3] The OLD relates it to the affirmative particle nē² (“truly”) and compares Avestan kas-na (“who then?”).^[4]

De Vaan lists as cognates Sanskrit न (ná, “as, like”), the Thessalian Greek particles ὅνε (óne), τόνε (tóne) and τάνε (táne), and Lithuanian nè (“than”) after a comparative.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Livius Andronicus on,^[2] who lived from 280/260 to before 200 BC;^[5] in a tragedy he asks iamne oculos specie laetavisti optabili? (“have you now gladdened your eyes with the longed-for sight?”), with the particle on the emphatic first word of a question.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The particle asks a plain question without suggesting whether the answer will be yes or no, unlike num and nōnne, and stresses the word it is attached to, in Classical Latin always the first word of the clause.^[3] It was often cut to -n before vowels and consonants alike, as in satin for satisne (Ennius), viden and audin.^[4][2]

Besides direct questions it introduced indignant exclamations in the accusative (huncine hominem!), questions that query another speaker's words (Plautus' egone te?), alternatives (-ne … an, -ne … -ne) and indirect questions, “whether”.^[4][3] With interrogative words it could be added pleonastically, as in Horace's uterne.^[4]

Timeline

• 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it in direct questions and with an in alternative questions.^[4][5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it in indirect questions (rogato servos veneritne).^[4][5]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius has it in indirect alternative questions and in the shortened satin.^[4][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in indignant exclamations with the accusative.^[4][5]

Meanings

Particle

1. (enclitic) Marks a direct question, attached to its emphatic word: vidēsne? “do you see?”.^[4][3]
2. Added pleonastically to interrogative words.^[4]
3. In indignant exclamations, with an accusative or an accusative and infinitive.^[4][3]
4. Querying what another speaker has said, often without a verb: egone? “I?”.^[4]
5. Introducing an alternative in a question: “or?”.^[4]
6. In double or multiple questions, followed by an or another -ne.^[4]
7. In indirect questions: “whether, if”.^[4][3]

Word family

• aīn
• anne
• nōnne
• potin
• satin
• satine
• scīn

Related words

• -que
• -ve
• -ce

Usage notes

The enclitic is distinct from the negative nē¹ “not; lest”.^[3][4] The TLL also records an affirmative -ne in Plautus, Terence and Horace, attached to pronouns.^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften