quid ni
See also: quidni
Latin
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editquid (“what”) + nī (“unless, not”)
Pronunciation
edit- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /kʷid niː/, [kʷɪd̪ niː]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /kwid ni/, [kwid̪ niː]
Adverb
editquid nī? (not comparable)
- why not? what else?
- Hem, Clinia haec fieri videbat? Quid nī? Mecum una simul.
- Well, did Clinia see all this going on? - How shouldn't he? He was with me.
- Quid nī? Quo verba facilius dentur mihi.
- Why not? That I may be imposed upon the more easily.
- Omnem rem tenes? - Quid ego nī teneam?
- You understand the whole affair? - Why should I not understand it?
- Quid illam nī abducat?
- Why should he not take her?
- Quid ego nī ita censeam?
- Why shouldn't I think so?
- Quid ego nī fleam?
- Why shouldn't I cry?
- Quidnī, inquit, meminerim?
- Why mustn't I remember, says he?
- of course
Usage notes
edit- While cūr nōn (“why not”) expects an answer, quid nī is rather used in rhetorical questions.
- Quid nī takes the subjunctive.
- Can be used pleonastically:
- Quid nī nōn.