MS: Lesson - Indirect Questions

Indirect Questions

Imagine a scenario in which Tiberius is sitting next to his mother, Livia. They are having a conversation. It might go something like this:

• Livia: Tiberius, have you seen Hermanes?
• Tiberius: No, mother. I don't know where he is.

In our scenario, Livia asked a direct question: have you seen Hermanes? Notice that it ends in a question mark). Tiberius, however, reported back to his mother with an indirect question: I don't know where he is. Notice here that the sentence with the indirect question did not end in a question mark and depended on an introductory clause (I don't know).

What is an Indirect Question?

An indirect question is a reported direct question. As common as it is to report a statement indirectly, it is just as common to ask a question indirectly. Unlike an indirect statement, the indirect question in Latin requires a more complex formation:

• The tense of the Head Verb introduces the indirect question and establishes sequence
  • Common head verbs introducing indirect questions include: rogare, poscere, quaerere, mirari, petere, videre, scire, cognoscere, etc. 
• The Dependent Clause contains the reported question
  • The dependent clause is introduced by an interrogative form:
    • Interrogative pronouns and adjectives
      • quis, quid - who?, what?
      • qui, quae, quod - what noun?
    • Regular interrogatives. A few examles:
      • cur? - why?
      • ubi? - where/when?
      • quomodo? - how?
    • Simple questions (yes/no) are handled by using num
      • In a direct question, recall that num was used to introduce a question expecting a no answer (nonne expected yes). In indirect questions, that will no longer be the expectation and num is most often translated if.
  • The verb in the indirect question is in the subjunctive mood.

Indirect questions follow the sequence of tenses. Regular negation, including non, is used for indirect questions.

Examples of Indirect Questions in Latin

Direct Question	Indirect Question	English Translation	Notes
Livia rogat, "Quis vocat?" Livia asks, "Who is calling?"	Livia rogat quis vocet.	Livia asks who is calling.	Introductory verb = present tense (primary sequence). Dependent verb is incomplete, so is present tense to complete the sequence.
Livia rogat, "Quis vocavit?" Livia asks, "Who called?"	Livia rogat quis vocaverit.	Livia asks who called.	Introductory verb = present tense (primary sequence). Dependent verb is complete, so is perfect tense to complete the sequence.
Livia mirabatur, "Ubi est Hermanes?" Livia was wondering, "Where is Hermanes?"	Livia mirabatur ubi Hermanes esset.	Livia was wondering where Hermanes was.	Introductory verb = imperfect tense (secondary sequence). Dependent verb is incomplete, so is imperfect tense to complete the sequence.
Livia mirabatur, "Ubi erat Hermanes?" Livia was wondering, "Where was Hermanes?"	Livia mirabatur ubi Hermanes fuisset.	Livia was wondering where Hermanes had been.	Introductory verb = imperfect tense (secondary sequence). Dependent verb is complete, so is pluperfect tense to complete the sequence.

Future Time in an Indirect Question

Unlike most uses of the subjunctive, indirect questions can utilize the future time aspect. Latin handles the future aspect in an indirect question by forming a special periphrastic subjunctive. Periphrastic is a kind of work around, involving combining forms to achieve an otherwise unavailable form. Latin uses one form for primary sequence and another for secondary sequence.

Sequence of Tenses with Future Periphrastic Included

Sequence	Tense of introductory verb	Special Future Periphrastic for Indirect Questions
Primary Sequence	Present Future Future Perfect	future participle + present subjunctive form of sum Examples: futurus sim ducturi sint amaturus sit
Secondary Sequence	Imperfect Perfect Pluperfect	future participle + imperfect subjunctive form of sum Examples: futurus essem ducturi essent amaturus esset

Example

• I wonder who will call.
  • I wonder = present tense, so primary sequence will be used.
• Miror quis vocatura sit.
  • Note: what gender is the presumed "who" in this sentence?
    • vocatura = feminine, indicating that the who is feminine.