From the first line of the Nicene Creed:
pisteuomen en hena theon, pater pantokratora
Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα θεὸν, πατέρ παντοκράτορα
I would have expected accusative patera (πατέρα) here, but find a vocative instead.
I scoured my available grammars for some clue as to what might be happening here, but to no avail, so I was hoping somebody might please explain why this does not translate as a vocative, viz: "Oh, Father!"?
Thanks and regards,
Murray Hogg
Melbourne, Australia
Use of vocative (pater) in the Nicene Creed
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- Posts: 12
- Joined: September 21st, 2011, 3:15 pm
Use of vocative (pater) in the Nicene Creed
Murray Hogg
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
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- Posts: 12
- Joined: September 21st, 2011, 3:15 pm
Re: Use of vocative (pater) in the Nicene Creed
My apologies, folks.
I was so puzzled by this that I eventually went to one of the critical works on the creeds in the hope of finding an answer.
Turns out it was a typographical error in my copy of the creed and the term in question actually is an accusative!
Thanks anyway,
Murray Hogg
Melbourne, Australia.
I was so puzzled by this that I eventually went to one of the critical works on the creeds in the hope of finding an answer.
Turns out it was a typographical error in my copy of the creed and the term in question actually is an accusative!
Thanks anyway,
Murray Hogg
Melbourne, Australia.
Murray Hogg
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
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- Posts: 46
- Joined: May 6th, 2011, 1:26 pm
Re: Use of vocative (pater) in the Nicene Creed
Aha--or should I say just "Ah"--a new twist on the old alpha privative!
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James D. Ernest, PhD
VP, Editor-in-Chief
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Grand Rapids, MI
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James D. Ernest, PhD
VP, Editor-in-Chief
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Grand Rapids, MI
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