[B-Greek] Diagramming of Greek Sentences
Joseph Weaks
j.weaks at tcu.edu
Sun Dec 5 21:45:55 EST 2004
On Dec 5, 2004, at 7:28 PM, Steven Lo Vullo wrote:
> On Dec 5, 2004, at 6:28 AM, Barry Hofstetter wrote:
>> Yes, but how often do you find it necessary to diagram an English
>> sentence, and why would you bother to do so, apart from your 7th
>> grade English teacher's insistence?
> I don't know of any literature in English that I hold in the same
> esteem as the NT, and I don't know of any literature that I would
> write a commentary on or prepare a sermon outline for, etc. In other
> words, there is nothing in English that interests me enough to
> diagram, including your posts, as interesting as they are. :-) I want
> to understand in as much detail as possible how Koine works. I just
> don't have that curiosity about English, though it is my native
> language.
I think an insightful aspect of Barry's comment is being glossed over.
As a native speaker of English, in order to gain a better understanding
of or insight into an English text, I have never gone about it
diagramming. I have diagrammed many many many NT sentences, but this
emphasis on diagramming seems to me should serve as a gateway into
absorbing the language. The goal should be to move beyond it. It is an
artificial encounter with the text, the picking apart of syntactical
and grammatical distinctions. Now that I'm quite good with English
(since the 7th grade), it would be counter-productive and misguided to
seek a genuine encounter with an English text via diagramming.
I know we have developed a history of making grammatico-syntactical
analysis a part of exegesis, one that at least in part generates its
own inertia. But, we shan't get into critiques of "where lieth the
inspiration," but I often say in my church that a biblical text, as is
the nature of ANY language, means what it means, not what it says.
My 2¢,
Joe
**************************************************************
Rev. Joseph A. Weaks
Senior Minister, Bethany Christian Church, Dallas
Ph.D. (Cand.), Brite Divinity School, Ft. Worth
j.weaks at tcu.edu
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