[B-Greek] third class conditions

John Colby colby at solutions2000.net
Tue Nov 25 17:51:36 EST 2003


Third class conditional sentences have EAN with the subjunctive in the protasis. How much should the subjunctive mood be brought out in the translation? Is it semantically important or is it merely a marker of a third class conditional sentence. For example Matthew 6:22 says: "EAN OUN iH hO OFQALAMOS SOU hALOUS, hOLON TO SWMA SOU FWTEINON ESTAI" Should this be rendered, "If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be bright", or "If therefore your eye might be sound, your whole body will be bright"? I know that third class conditional sentences have a wide range of meanings, but which of the two elements should be stressed? Or am I being dogmatic (again)?

Jonathan Colby
Guyana, South America




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