Bukankah

Bukankah is a discourse particle in Indonesian and Malay used to turn a statement into a rhetorical question that invites confirmation or implies a shared expectation. It functions to seek agreement, remind the listener of a prior point, or emphasize a point the speaker believes should be obvious.

Etymology and grammar: Bukankah is formed from the negation bukan combined with the question particle kah. It is typically attached to or placed near the end of a declarative clause, transforming it into a question with an expectation of agreement. It can appear in various tenses and with different predicates, including verbs, adjectives, and nouns.

Usage and nuance: Bukankah carries a slightly assertive or admonitory nuance, signaling that the speaker assumes the listener already knows or agrees with the stated matter. It is common in spoken Indonesian and can appear in narrative or conversational contexts. In formal writing, its use is less frequent and can be perceived as colloquial or terse. The tone ranges from gentle prompting to mild reproach, depending on context and intonation.

Comparison with other questions: Unlike apakah, which is a neutral information-seeking question, bukankah introduces an expectation of agreement or recollection. Apakah asks simply what is true, whereas bukankah presumes a shared understanding and nudges the listener toward affirmation.

Example sentences: Bukankah dia sudah pulang? Bukankah kita sepakat pada pertemuan itu? Bukankah harga tiketnya terlalu mahal? The construction is versatile and widely understood across Indonesian-speaking communities.