Thread: ли

Would you help me with translation of ли in opinion polls?

Опрос

Расширится ли список российских спортсменов, допущенных до Игр, после решения CAS?

Да, ...
Нет, ...

To me, it could mean "Is it supposed to"...?

Ли is an interrogative particle.

https://ru.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%B....D0.BB.D0.B8_I

Fine. But does it have any equivalent in English?

Originally Posted by George1992

Fine. But does it have any equivalent in English?

My skills in english are low and I do not know any equivalent.
If "ли" is placed after verb I can say that phrase automatically implies hidden "...or not? (...или нет?)". Question itself is not modified. Just enforcer.

Its english equivalent is in most meanings "whether". In many cases, English uses "if" in places that COULD use the word "whether". "I don't know if he'll come." could be "I don't know whether he'll come (or not).". If the sentence *can* use whether, then the Russian sentence WILL always use ли, not если(if).

Я не знаю, придёт ли он. <Correct
Not "Я не знаю если он придёт" That sentence is practically unfinished.
(by the way есть ли and если are related, but totally separate in meaning)

It has recently been pointed out to me that ли is also used in a very basic interrogative sentence to simply "mark a yes or no question". Many languages employ some sort of "yes or no" question particle to mark sentences.
Жизнь невечная. Будете ли вы верить, что у вас было её достоточно? This translates to simply "Will you believe that you had enough of it?".

Polish Similarity
czy
interrogative particle: introduces a yes-no question
Czy ten pan jest z Anglii? Tak, ten pan jest z Anglii.
(question particle) that man is from England? Yes, that man is from England.

As for the question of opinion polls, I imagine somewhat similar tactics might be at use, as the ones English polls. I have heard of official polls in English being purposefully written in absolutely cryptic backwards seeming phrasing that muddles what "yes" even means to answer the question. I guess we're assuming the Russian polls are NOT written in anything but absolute clear standard Russian phrasing.

To me, the meaning of the phrasing --Расширится ли список российских спортсменов, допущенных до Игр, после решения CAS?-- might be asking your prediction? "Will the list of Russian sportsmen allowed into the Games grow after the decision of CAS?"
Since there's no negatives involved, regardless of the exact nuance of the question, да equates to expanding being: good/predicted to happen/approved, and нет equates to expanding being bad/Not believed to happen/disapproved.