§336. Question and Answer

There is no one Latin word in common use meaning simply yes or no. In answering a question affirmatively, the verb or some other emphatic word is generally repeated; in answering negatively, the verb, etc., with nōn or a similar negative:—

• valetne, is he well? valet, yes (he is well).
• eratne tēcum, was he with you? nōn erat, no (he was not).
• num quidnam novī? there is nothing new, is there? nihil sānē, oh! nothing.

a. An intensive or negative particle, a phrase, or a clause is sometimes used to answer a direct question:—

• For YES:—

  vērō, in truth, true, no doubt, yes.	ita vērō, certainly (so in truth), etc.
  etiam, even so, yes, etc.	sānē quidem, yes, no doubt, etc.
  ita, so, true, etc.	ita est, it is so, true, etc.

  • sānē, surely, no doubt, doubtless, etc.
  • certē, certainly, unquestionably, etc.
  • factum, true, it's a fact, you're right, etc. (lit., it was done).
• For NO:—

• nōn, not so.
• nūllō modō, by no means.
• minimē, not at all (lit., in the smallest degree, cf. § 329. a).
• minimē vērō, no, not by any means; oh! no, etc.
• nōn quidem, why, no; certainly not, etc.
• nōn hercle vērō, why, gracious, no! (certainly not, by Hercules!)

Examples are:—

• quidnam? an laudātiōnēs? ita, why, what? is it eulogies? just so.
• aut etiam autnōn respondēre (Acad. 2.104), to answer (categorically) yes or no.
• estne ut fertur forma? sānē (Ter. Eun. 361), is she as handsome as they say she is? (is her beauty as it is said?) oh! yes.
• miser ergō Archelāus?certē sī iniūstus (Tusc. 5.35), was Archelaus wretched then? certainly, if he was unjust.
• an haec contemnitis? minimē (De Or. 2.295), do you despise these things? not at all.
• volucribusne et ferīs?minimē vērō (Tusc. 1.104), to the birds and beasts? why, of course not.
• ex tuī animī sententiā tū uxōrem habēs? nōn hercle, ex meī animī sententiā; (De Or. 2.260), Lord! no, etc.