Pronunciation

Randall Buth ButhFam at compuserve.com
Fri Jan 19 04:18:13 EST 2001


From:   Randall Buth, 
To:     Denny A Diehl, INTERNET:dd-1 at juno.com
        
Date:   19/01/101 11:17 PM

RE:     [b-greek] Pronunciation

Denny A Diehl egrapsen:
>In a discussion of a textual variant at Lk 22:40,
>it is suggested that the reason for having the
>variation of:  PROSEUCESQAI and PROSEUCESQE
>is that the diphthong AI and the vowel E are
>pronounced the same.  Really?  I was under
>the impression that
>
>AI had a long I sound, and
>E had a short E sound.
>
>Which is correct?<

Some questions are easier than others and this is an easy one. 
AI and E came together BEFORE the Christian era all around the east
mediterranean. 
You have ample local evidence in the Judean desert, in addition. 
E.g.
the infinitive PEMYAI 'to send' 
was spelled
PEMSE
in one of the Greek barKosiba letters. That is not an isolated example in
that corpus and one among hundreds I've seen in other corpora, which means
there are thousands out there. 
(ETAIROIS for 'hETEROIS' for others'
POIHSHTAI for 'POIHSHTE' 'you should do'
APODIXE  for 'APODEIXAI'  'to declare', kai ta loipa)

Those interested in a summary of notes, data and a demo CD with 4 texts in
a Koine era reconstruction can contact me offlist for the $9 product. 

It represents the way in which Luke or Paul or their audiences would have
'heard' the messages.

ERRWSO
Randall Buth



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