Bennett's New Latin Grammar is a book, now in the public domain, written by the famous Charles E. Bennett. I have made this version available online. Of course there may be errors, so use at your own risk.
160. Syntax treats of the use of words in sentences
161. Sentences may be classified as follows: -
1. DECLARATIVE, which state something; as, -
puer scrībit, the boy is writing.
2. INTERROGATIVE, Which ask a question; as, -
quid puer scrībit, what is the boy writing?
3. EXCLAMATORY, which are in the form of an exclamation; as, -
quot librōs scrībit, how many books he writes!
4. IMPERATIVE, which express a command or an admonition; as, -
scrībe, write!
162. Questions may be either Word-Questions or Sentence-Questions.
1. Word-Questions. These are introduced by the various interrogative pronouns and adverbs, such as - quis, quī, quālis, quantus, quot, quotiēns, quō, quā, etc. Thus: -
quis venit, who comes? quam dīū manēbit, how long will he stay?
2. Sentence-Questions. These are introduced -
a) By nōnne implying the answer 'yes'; as, -
nōnne vidētis, do you not see?
b) By num implying the answer 'no'; as, -
num exspectās, do you expect? (i.e. you don't expect, do you?)
c) by the enclitic -ne, appended to the emphatic word (which usually stands first), and simply asking for information; as, -
vidēsne, do you see?
A question introduced by -ne may receive a special implication from the context; as, -
sēnsistīne, did you not perceive?
d) Sometimes by no special word, particularly in expressions of surprise or indignation; as, -
tū in jūdicum cōnspectum venīre audēs, do you dare to come into the presence of the judges?
3. Rhetorical 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, annōn (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 dī annōn, are there gods or not? | |
a. An was not originally confined to double questions, but introduced single questions, having the force of -ne, nōnne, 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, vērō, sānē, or by repetition of the verb; as, -
'vīsne locum mūtēmus?' 'sānē'. 'Shall we change the place?' 'Certainly.'
'estīsne vōs lēgatī?' 'sumus.' 'Are you envoys?' 'Yes.'
b. The answer NO is expressed by nōn, minimē, minimē vērō, or by repeating the verb with a negative; as, -
'jam ea praeteriit?' 'nōn.' 'Has it passed?' 'No.'
'estne frāter intus?' 'nōn est.' 'Is your brother within?' 'No.'
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 which is said, asked, etc., concerning the SUBJECT.
164. Sentences containing but one Subject and one Predicate are called SIMPLE SENTENCES, those containing more are called COMPOUND SENTENCES. Thus puer librōs legit, the boy reads books, is a Simple Sentence; but puer librōs legit et epistulās scrībit, the boy reads books and writes letters, is a Compound Sentence. The different members of a Compound Sentence are called Clauses.
165. COÖRDINATE AND SUBORDINATE CLAUSES. Clauses which stand upon an equality are called COÖRDINATE; a Clause dependent on another is called SUBORDINATE. Thus in puer librōs legit et epistulās scrībit the two clauses are Coördinate; but in puer librōs legit quōs pater scrībit, the boy reads the books which his father writes, the second clause is Subordinate to the first.