The Middle Voice in Modern Greek vs. the Koine Middle

Louis L Sorenson
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Re: The Middle Voice in Modern Greek vs. the Koine Middle

Post by Louis L Sorenson »

Well, I see GCGML (Houlton, et al.) as being in the same boat as modern English grammars which depict only the active and passive voice. I just got Manney's "Middle Voice in Modern Greek: Meaning and function of an inflectional catetory" from inter-library loan, so I will be able to ask a few more specific questions about the middle in Modern Greek once I've plowed through that tome - and I just don't understand how one person can write a book on the middle voice in modern Greek, and a modern Greek grammar totally ignore that content. What in Koine is middle forms is called 'passive forms' in GCGML, along with what are traditionally passive forms (having a θ-) in the ending.

Modern Greek, as presented by Houlton, et al., only has an active and passive. (cf. Holton, David; Mackridge, Peter; Philippaki-Warburton, Irene; Spyropoulos, Vassilios (2012-03-29). Greek: A Comprehensive Grammar of the Modern Language (Comprehensive Grammars) (Kindle Locations 5499-5507). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition)). This is the most current academic grammar of modern Greek. The following chart shows the list of forms:

Houlton, et. al. in their Greek a Comprehensive Grammar of the Modern Language (GCGML) does not even list the term 'middle'. It is not in his indices either. Under voice, he lists:
voice 51, 128, 129, 134, 139, 269, 275–284, 613, 620; see also active and passive
Under the Passive entry he lists some middle usages:
reciprocal use of 283–284, 583–584; reflexive use of 246, 282–283, 580;
For definitions he gives:
DEF: DEPONENT a verb without active forms (at least in the imperfective) (κάθομαι ‘I sit’, κοιμάμαι ‘I sleep’)

DEF: PASSIVE VOICE the set of verb forms that exhibit passive inflection; when a verb is in the passive voice its subject typically is not the person or thing doing the action but the person or thing acted upon (cf. active voice)
Regarding deponents he says:
1.4.3 Deponent verbs The term deponent verb refers to a verb which appears with passive morphology but is active in its meaning. Such verbs may be transitive, such as θυμάμαι κάποιον ‘I remember someone’, δέχομαι κάποιον ‘I receive, accept someone’, λυπάμαι κάποιον ‘I pity, feel sorry for someone’, φοβάμαι κάποιον ‘I fear someone’ and περιποιούμαι κάποιον ‘I take care of someone’.
-- (1) Δέχτηκε την πρότασή μας αμέσως ‘He accepted our proposal immediately’
--(2) Η Ελένη φοβάται το σκοτάδι ‘Helen is afraid of the dark’ Deponent verbs may also be used intransitively, such as έρχομαι ‘I come’, κοιμάμαι ‘I sleep’, γίνομαι ‘I become’:
--(3) Όταν έρχομαι στην Αθήνα κουράζομαι πολύ ‘Whenever I come to Athens I get very tired’ Some of the transitive deponent verbs may also appear as intransitives, e.g. λυπάμαι ‘I am sad’, φοβάμαι ‘I am scared’:
--(4) Φοβάται και λυπάται χωρίς να ξέρει γιατί ‘He is fearful and sad without knowing why’
§7.1.9. ...Deponent verbs have only passive forms. Examples (from this very numerous category): αισθάνομαι ‘Ι feel’, απολογοήμαι ‘Ι defend myself’, αρνοήμαι ‘Ι refuse’, αφηγοήμαι ‘Ι narrate’, εργάζομαι ‘Ι work’, μιμοήμαι ‘Ι imitate’, φαίνομαι ‘Ι appear/seem’, φοβάμαι ‘Ι fear’.
For those who do not have access to a modern Greek grammar, they should note that the classical θη (η) middle/passive form has for the most part fallen out of usage - though there are remnants in usage. (See GCGML 7.2.2.3). The morpheme θ- appears in the aorist indicative (simple past) - there are no distinct aorist middle forms in modern Greek. θ- also appears in the subjunctive (dependent) passive, and perfect passive construct with ἔχω ( ἔχω λυθῆ).

The rows in the following chart show the passive voice forms for the (1) present tense, (2) imperfect tense (3) aorist (simple past) tense, (4) future tense with θα (5) perfect tense and (6) participle
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Stephen Hughes
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Re: The Middle Voice in Modern Greek vs. the Koine Middle

Post by Stephen Hughes »

Louis L Sorenson wrote:I just don't understand how one person can write a book on the middle voice in modern Greek, and a modern Greek grammar totally ignore that content.
Stephen Hughes wrote:Grammars can be biased according to the views of the writer as to whether Modern Greek is the true descendent of Ancient Greek ... Modern Greek is a language of the people spoken by the people and preserved in folk songs and folk literature.
In the first case, grammatical categories from classical grammars will be mapped onto the modern language, with less-than-adequate regard for what is actually there. In the second, grammatical categories from some other language will be mapped onto Modern Greek, with less-than-adequate regard for what is actually there. :?

Side note: Historically speaking, Greek intellectuals went to Paris to study and develop their ideas (not to English speaking countries).
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
Stephen Carlson
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Re: The Middle Voice in Modern Greek vs. the Koine Middle

Post by Stephen Carlson »

Louis L Sorenson wrote:I just got Manney's "Middle Voice in Modern Greek: Meaning and function of an inflectional catetory" from inter-library loan, so I will be able to ask a few more specific questions about the middle in Modern Greek once I've plowed through that tome
I've got access to this book too, and my initiial impression is that it seems fairly well informed and on the right track. For example, contra to the Holton et al. grammar, Manney dispenses with the term deponent (p. 38).

I'd be happy to discuss this work.
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
Melbourne, Australia
MAubrey
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Re: The Middle Voice in Modern Greek vs. the Koine Middle

Post by MAubrey »

The book is available for free online for those who have an Ebrary.com account (which itself is free).

I'm in the process of moving right now (headed to Illinois for the winter). But I'd be up for a reading group...Or should we try to finish Rijksbaron first?
Mike Aubrey, Linguist
SIL International
Koine-Greek.com
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