§ 4. Indirect questions.
Word order in an indirect question is the same as in a statement.
An indirect general question is introduced by the conjunction/'/ or whether.
I said to her, "Have you lived I asked her if she had lived therehere long?" long.
She asked if she knew him. (Bennett)
An indirect special question is introduced by the same adverb or pionoun that introduces a direct question.
1 said to her, "Where do you live"? I asked her where she lived.
I asked her where she was going and where her friends were. (Ch. Bronte)
If a direct question to the subject contains the link verb to be, the direct order of words is not always strictly observed.
He asked, "Who is that man?"
The direct question What is the matter? can be converted in two ways:
He asked what was the matter. He asked what the matter was.
Indirect questions are generally introduced by the verb to ask. In more official style the verb to inquire is used.
She called at the office and said, She called at the office and in-" When does the secretary usually quired when the secretary usually come?" came.
If the person addressed is mentioned, the verb to inquire is used with the preposition of.
This occurs in bookish style only.
She said to him, "Where does She inquired of him where Mrs.Mrs. Brown live?" Brown lived.
In rendering answers the verbs to answer and to reply are generally used.
Occasionally, answers are rendered in the following way: His reply (answer) was that He said in reply ... This is not colloquial.
§ 5. Indirect orders and requests.
An order or a request in indirect speech is expressed by an infinitive:
She said to him, "Open the win- She told him to open the window dow (do not open the window)." (not to open the window).
She said to him, "Please, open She asked him to open the window the window (do not open the (not to open the window), window)-"
The choice of the verb is determined by the character of the order (request).
The verb most commonly used to introduce indirect orders is the verb to tell; the verb to order is frequently used, occasionally also the verb to command.
The verb to tell corresponds to the Russian сказать, чтобы and велеть; to order and to command correspond to приказать.
Mr. Bumble said to Oliver, "Bow Mr. Bumble ordered Oliver toto the board." bow to the board.
The officer said to the soldiers, The officer commanded the soldiers"Stop!" to stop.
The verb to request is used in official style, chiefly in the Passive Voice. It is best rendered in Russian by предложить.
The verb to request introduces rather a veiled order than a request.
The ticket collector said to the The ticket collector requested passenger, "Produce your ticket." (предложил) the passenger to
produce his ticket.
or:
The passenger was requested to
produce his ticket.
Unemotional requests are usually introduced by the verb to ask.
He said to a passer-by, "Will you He asked a passer-by to show him show me the way to the theatre?" the way to the theatre.
The verb to beg introduces a request somewhat more emotional.
The child said to his mother, "Do The child begged his mother totake me to the circus!" take him to the circus.
Very often, however, it is used in the same meaning as the verb to ask, only it is more polite:
He said to the visitor, "Will you He begged the visitor to walk in. walk in?"
Emotional (emphatic) requests are introduced by the verbs to implore, to entreat, to beseech (умолять).
Eliza said to the stranger, "Do Eliza implored the stranger tosave my child!" save her child.
The verb to urge introduces a request made with great insistence. It corresponds to the Russian настаивать, уговаривать.
The mother said to her son, "Do The mother urged her son to taketake care of yourself!" care of himself.
As is seen from the above examples, in converting requests beginning with the emphatic do, we use the verbs to implore, to entreat, to beseech, to urge.