Quanto è sconveniente! Non l'avrebbe mica detto apposta?

Questions & Answers about Quanto è sconveniente! Non l'avrebbe mica detto apposta?

What is mica doing in this question, and why is there a non at the beginning?
In a question, non ... mica asks for confirmation while expressing a strong hope or expectation that the answer is negative. The speaker is hoping he didn't say it on purpose. It translates well to adding a tag question like 'would he?' or 'did he?' in English.
Why is the conditional past (l'avrebbe detto) used here instead of the indicative past (l'ha detto)?
The conditional is often used in Italian to express a supposition, an unconfirmed rumor, or doubt. By using the conditional past (l'avrebbe detto) rather than the indicative (l'ha detto), the speaker emphasizes that they are guessing or wondering about his past intentions, rather than stating a known fact.
Could I drop the non and just ask L'avrebbe mica detto apposta??
Yes! In questions, mica can be used with or without non. Using non ... mica (as in this sentence) strongly suggests you expect or hope for a negative answer. If you drop the non and ask L'avrebbe mica detto..., it feels a bit more neutral, like asking 'Did he by any chance say it...?'
Is apposta an adjective that needs to agree with the subject?
No, apposta is an invariable adverb meaning 'on purpose' or 'intentionally.' Because it is an adverb, it never changes its ending to match gender or number.

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