1515. The alternative question belongs properly under the head of the
compound sentence. But as the interrogative particles employed in the
single question are also used in the alternative question, the
alternative question is most conveniently considered here.
1516. In old English, the first of two alternative questions is often
introduced by the interrogative particle _whether_, and the second by
_or_: as, _whether is it easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to
say Arise?_ In modern English, _whether_ is not used thus.
1517. The history of the Latin alternative question is just the reverse
of the English. In old Latin, the first question is very often put
without any interrogative particle. Later, in the classical period, the
use of #-ne#, or oftener of #utrum#, etymologically the same as
_whether_, is overwhelmingly predominant.
1518. In the simplest form of the alternative sentence, neither question
is introduced by an interrogative particle: as,
#quid agō? adeō, maneō?# T. _Ph._ 736, _what shall I do? go up and
speak, or wait?_ (1531).
1519. Of two alternative questions, the first either has no
interrogative particle at all, or is more commonly introduced by
#utrum#, #-ne#, or #-n#. The second is introduced by #an#, rarely by
#anne#, or if it is negative, by #an nōn#: as,
(_a._) #album an ātrum vīnum pōtās?# Pl. _Men._ 915, _do you take light
wine or dark?_ #Tacitus es an Plīnius?# Plin. _Ep._ 9, 23, 3, _are you
Tacitus or Pliny?_ #sortiētur an nōn?# _PC._ 37, _will he draw lots or
not?_ (_b._) #iam id porrō utrum libentēs an invītī dabant?# _V._ 3,
118, _then furthermore did they offer it voluntarily or did they consent
to give it under stress?_ #utrum cētera nōmina in cōdicem acceptī et
expēnsī dīgesta habēs an nōn?# _RC._ 9, _have you all other items
methodically posted in your ledger or not?_ (_c._) #servosne es an
līber?# Pl. _Am._ 343, _art bond or free?_ #esne tū an nōn es ab illō
mīlitī Macedoniō?# Pl. _Ps._ 616, _art thou or art thou not the
Macedonian captain’s man?_ #videōn Clīniam an nōn?# T. _Hau._ 405, _do I
see Clinia or not?_
1520. #necne# for #an nōn# is rare: as, #sēmina praetereā linquontur
necne animāī corpore in exanimō?# Lucr. 3, 713, _are seeds moreover left
or not of soul within the lifeless frame?_ Twice in Cicero: as, #sunt
haec tua verba necne?# _TD._ 3, 41, _are these your words or not?_ But
#necne# is common in indirect questions.
1521. Instead of a single second question with #an#, several questions
may be used if the thought requires it, each introduced by #an#.
1522. Sometimes an introductory #utrum# precedes two alternative
questions with #-ne# and #an#: as, #utrum tū māsne an fēmina ’s?# Pl.
_R._ 104, _which is it, art thou man or maid?_ This construction has its
origin in questions in which #utrum# is used as a live pronoun: as,
#utrum māvīs? statimne nōs vēla facere an paululum rēmigāre?# _TD._ 4,
9, _which would you rather do, have us make sail at once, or row just a
little bit?_ In Horace and late prose, #utrumne . . . an# is found a few
times.
1523. Sometimes a second alternative question is not put at all: as,
#utrum hōc bellum nōn est?# _Ph._ 8, 7, in old English, _whether is not
this war?_
1524. Two or more separate questions asked with #-ne . . . -ne#, or with
#num ... num#, must not be mistaken for alternative questions: as, #num
Homērum, num Hēsiodum coēgit obmūtēscere senectūs?# _CM._ 23, _did
length of days compel either Homer or Hesiod to hush his voice?_ (1692).
1525. An alternative question is answered by repeating one member or
some part of it, with such changes as the context may require.