quidni Latin · revision 30932

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la quis, la nī}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈkʷɪn.niː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈkʷid.ni]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''quidnī?''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also written as two words, which may be separated: ''quid ego nī teneam?''^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|quid|t=what, why]], the neuter of [[m|la|quis|t=who]], and [[m|la|nī|t=unless, if not]]: “why not?”, “how else?”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Plautus' ''Asinaria'' one speaker says “I'll take it up as you bid”, and the other answers ''quidnī?'', “of course”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It introduces questions with the subjunctive, “why should I not?”, meaning “naturally, of course”;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lewis and Short note that it is rhetorical, while ''cūr nōn'' expects an answer.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Without a verb it comments on what was said, as in Terence and Cicero, and Varro and Apuleius use it parenthetically.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus as a reply.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro parenthetically.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Why not?; [[m|en|naturally]], of course (with the [[m|en|subjunctive]]).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(without a verb, in replies)'' Of course!^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[quis]]

+ * [[nī]]

+ * [[nīmīrum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}