quid ni

• quidnī

quid (“what”) +‎ nī (“unless, not”)

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /kʷid niː/, [kʷɪd̪ niː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /kwid ni/, [kwid̪ niː]

quid nī? (not comparable)

1. 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?

2. of course

   Quid nī meminerim.

   Of course I remember.

   Quid nī possim.

   Of course I can.

   Quid nī laudet.

   Why should he not praise him! (of course he should praise him)

   Quid nī esset.

   Of course he was.

• 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.