[B-Greek] Last question on Verbal components

Henry T. Carmichael carmih at bigfoot.com
Sat Feb 21 23:15:56 EST 2004


Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 15:34:27 -0500
From: "Carl W. Conrad" <cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu>
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Last question on Verbal components
To: Mitch Larramore <mitchlarramore at yahoo.com>
Cc: B Greek <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
At 10:22 AM -0800 2/20/04, Mitch Larramore wrote:

(M.L.)
 >>I am so very sorry for belaboring this point. I
 >>promise to move on even if I fail to understand this.
 >>
 >>I am having a hard time formulating my question. But
 >>here is another example that may help me understand
 >>the idea of STEMS and their relationship to VOICE.
...
 >>Any help would be greatly appreciated.

C.C.
Here's how I would understand these forms:

(1) LU- is the ROOT of the verb; it is the element that is constant in 
all conceivable verb forms of LUW in any mood,voice, finite verb, 
infinitive, or participle.

(2) I would speak of the present stem as LU- or LU-O/E (because all 
present tense forms of any mood or voice,finitive or infinitive or 
participial forms are built upon LU- with a thematic vowel O/E.
...

Dear Dr. Conrad:
Thank you for your explanation.  It is clearer than anything I have read 
in any Greek Grammar to date.  The roots, stems, tenses, voices, 
principal parts, etc. in Greek have been a greater source of confusion 
to me than anything else in Greek.  I studied Russian, and wasn't half 
so dismayed as I was (and still am, betimes) at Greek.  I studied 
German, and wasn't so confused as I get in Greek. I think that if I can 
get a handle on this - the verb in Greek, I'll feel more at home.

Sincerely,
Henry Carmichael





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