quid ais

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Latin

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Etymology

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From quid (what) + aī̆s (you say), the 2nd person sg. of aiō (I say).

Pronunciation

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Phrase

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quid aī̆s

  1. (colloquial, indicating surprise at, or requesting confirmation of, the previous remark; to express skepticism) eh?, what?, what did you say?, what are you saying?, you don't say!
    • c. 190 BCE – 185 BCE, Plautus, Amphitryon I.1.363:
      MERCVRIVS: Quis erus est igitur tibī?
      SOSIA: Amphitruō, quī nunc praefectust Thēbānīs legiōnibus, quīcum nūpta est Alcumēna.
      MERCVRIVS: Quid aīs?! Quid nōmen tibī est?
      SOSIA: Sōsiam vocant Thēbānī []
      MERCVRIVS: Tūn' tē audēs Sōsiam esse dīcere, quī ego sum?
      MERCURY: Who's your master then?
      SOSIA: Amphitryon, who is now in command of the Theban forces, to whom Alcmena is married.
      MERCURY: You what?! What's your name?
      SOSIA: The Thebans call me Sosia []
      MERCURY: You dare say that you're Sosia, which is me?
  2. (colloquial, followed by a question, attracting the addressee's attention) tell me, what do you say?
    • c. 254 BCE – 184 BCE, Plautus, Trinumus :
      CHARMIDES: (After talking to himself) Sed quid aīs, quō inde īstī porrō?
      But tell me, where did you go next?
    • 161 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Eunuchus 3.2:
      THAIS: Ita mē dī ament honestust.
      PARMENO: Quidaīs, Gnathō? Numquid habēs quod contemnās? Quid tū autem, Thrasō? Tacent: satis laudant. Fac perīclum in līterīs, fac in palaestrā, in mūsicīs: quae līberum scīre aequom est adolēscentem sollertem dabō.
      THAIS: God bless me he's handsome.
      PARMENO: What do you say, Gnatho? Do you see anything to find fault with? And what say you, Thraso? They're speechless, which is praise enough. Test him on literature, athletics, music; I'll warrant him well skilled in everything a gentleman should know.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Radford, Robert S. (1903) “The Latin Monosyllables in Their Relation to Accent and Quantity. A Study in the Verse of Terence”, in Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association[1], volume 34, →DOI, page 60