grammaticality - Is it correct to append "no" to a question?


I have always been puzzled by some sentences people make that end in a no. For example, let's say someone instructed you not to leave your post before they arrive. Then they return but you're not there. When you finally meet them, they say:



So you decided to wait for me elsewhere than we had agreed, no?.



What is the meaning of no and what should I answer?



Answer



From what you've written, I think you are describing someone asking a rhetorical question.


"You decided to wait for me elsewhere, didn't you?" is equivalent to "You decided to wait for me elsewhere, no?"


Asking only with 'no' like that is usually something of a challenge or at the very least it indicates a strong expectation that the answer will be agreement. It is used commonly in argumentative rhetoric and emotional disagreements, but it can also just be used to indicate genuine confusion or surprise.


Answering 'no' to this kind of question is expressing disagreement. Answering 'yes' is expressing agreement. To avoid any chance of ambiguity, you can expressly state the disagreement.


"No, we did not agree to meet here. We were supposed to meet at the restaurant."


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