BDAG at Rv 3:14 - Christ was the first creation now probable

CEP7 at aol.com CEP7 at aol.com
Wed Jan 24 16:49:59 EST 2001



In a message dated 1/24/01 2:58:27 AM, alice-iver_larsen at wycliffe.org writes:

<< I am afraid you are putting the cart before the horse.

Linguistically speaking a genitive is a linguistic notion in many languages. 
It

has the function of linking two nouns or nominal constructions together 
without

them being arguments in a full proposition (predicate).

In descriptive linguistics we would often call such a thing an "associative

marker". Many languages have a specific word like "of" in English or a suffix 
to

show that association. Other languages have a genitive (or construct) form 
that

indicates that two nominal expressions are linked together. The exact nature 
of

the association depends on the semantic content of the nominal expressions

linked together as well as other words in the sentence.

There is a long tradition in Greek grammar to invent numerous descriptive 
names

for such associations. This is dangerous, because many people then wrongly

assume that we somehow have a host of different genitives with each their own

meaning. The nature of the association is not part of the genitive itself. 
Some

of the names are helpful as a shorthand notation for a relationship or

association that one has deduced from the words linked together, but not more

than that.

It may be useful to give a name to a genitive, but that is the last thing you 
do

after you have finished your interpretation of the sentence. >>

How can you finish the interpretation of a sentence if the interpretation 
hangs on the use of a particular noun or verb? In this case you have to 
survey the possibilities for the use of the genitive and determine which fits 
best in the context, both micro- and macrocontext. The use of a particular 
genitive depends on the context, but their are some guidelines in those uses. 
Genitives with verbal head nouns are usually verbal genitives; what kind of 
verbal genitive will be decided by the context. Nouns that modify PLHRHS and 
other nouns of filling or fullness are usually genitives of content. You are 
correct to an extent, but that does not invalidate the categories. The issue 
is when does one make decisions about the use of he genitive, on the front 
end or back end of interpretation.

Charles E. Powell, Ph.D.
(h) cep7 at aol.com
(w) cpowell at dts.edu
(h) 972-231-4166
(w) 214-841-3763



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