Translation Help Needed

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Sat Dec 28 14:36:22 EST 2002


> > At 12:56 PM -0500 12/27/02, Spencer Gee wrote:
> > >I need some help with the following sentence in a Koine Greek
> > texbook.
> > >
> > >LEGEI OUN PROFHTHS EKEINOS hON DIDASKEI IHSOUS:
> > >PISTEUW.
>
> This sentence raises a question for me. Can PROFHTHS EKEINOS really be
> written anarthrously? Shouldn't it be **hO** PROFHTHS EKEINOS ?

Yes, it should. When EKEINOS is used adjectively, modifying a noun, it must
be either EKEINOS hO PROFHTHS meaning "THAT prophet" with stress on THAT, or
hO PROFHTHS EKEINOS meaning "that PROPHET" with stress on prophet. When used
substantively, it is used without article.
Just as most literal translations from Greek to English can be described as
English with a strong Greek flavour, so is this sample a kind of Greek that
has a strong English flavour. I would call it a hybrid of Greek and English,
and it sounds quite unnatural to me, not only because of the missing
article.

Iver Larsen




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