Morgenthaler' book on NT statistics

Steven Craig Miller scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Tue Jan 18 13:30:35 EST 2000


To: Ruben Gomez,

<< I would very much appreciate some informed opinions on R. 
Morgenthalers's book Statistik des neutestamentlichen Wortschatzes 
(Zurich/Frankfurt am M.: Gotthelf, 1958). I would also value any practical 
advice on readability (is it a must to know German in order to use it?), 
availability (either new or second-hand), address (preferably on-line) 
where I could get it, etc. >>

Part of the book can be used without knowing any German, but there are 
about 60 pages of text written in German. I own the book, but can't read 
German. Furthermore, it is based on an older critical edition of the NT, 
and so it almost makes its data worthless (especially if one's goal is 
precise data on the new Nestle-Aland/UBS Greek texts). One can still find 
copies of Morgenthaler's book at used book stories, I paid $47 for my copy 
(at least I remember seeing copies listed in catalogues of used books which 
have recently crossed my desk). Price and availability will (no doubt) 
vary. You might check: bookfinder.com.

A more important work, and one still in print, is "Comparative Studies in 
Recent Greek New Testament Texts" by David Holly (Rome: Biblical Institute 
Press, 1983). Its data is based on the 25th and 26th editions of the 
Nestle-Aland texts.

Years ago, I wrote a computer program to count words using a CCAT 
electronic text of the UBS Greek NT. I compared it with Holly's data, and 
actually found a couple of errors in Holly's count (as well as errors in 
the particular CCAT text which I had at that time). Given that Holly did 
his counting by hand and didn't use a computer, his information is 
amazingly accurate. If I remember correctly, I only found two mistakes. In 
addition, there are a number of methodological issues which one should be 
aware.

Another important work which counts words is "New Testament Vocabulary" by 
Frans Neiryck and Frans Van Segroeck (Leuven University Press, 1984).

If anyone is interesting in creating a computer program which counts words 
of the NT or something similar,  or if one is just interested in the 
methodological issues, I would be more than willing to discuss (off-list) 
what little I learned when I wrote my computer program. (I'm self-taught in 
the "C" programming language. I gave up computer programming as a hobby 
shortly after C++ became popular.)

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Disclaimer: "I'm just a simple house-husband (with no post-grad degree), 
what do I know?"




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