[B-Greek] simple test *AURION HLQON

Randall Buth randallbuth at gmail.com
Wed Dec 14 04:00:11 EST 2005


Carl Conrad egrapsen:
>For what it's worth, Modern Greek has two futures: an imperfective
with QA + present subjunctive, and a perfective with QA + aorist
subjunctive.>

Thank you, Carl. That should be a helpful example for many.

QA GRAFW BIBLION  = "I will be writing a book" (future with imperfective aspect)
QA GRAPSW BIBLION = "I will write a book" (future with perfective aspect)

The difference is a difference of aspect, while the tense is future.

Of course, with the subjunctive, both ancient and modern distinguished aspect:
QELW (i)NA GRAFW BIBLION "I want to be writing a book(s) [that I would
be writing]"
   (NA + imperfective subjunctive, [a.k.a. pres. subj.])
QELW (i)NA GRAPSW BIBLION "I want to write a book [that I would write]"
   (NA + perfective subjunctive, [a.k.a. aorist subj.])

Though unstated, I am assuming that you would agree that
*AURION EGRAPSA BIBLION is not acceptable Greek.
We would only expect
AURION GRAPSW BIBLION "tomorrow I will write a book"

ERRWSO
Randall Buth

-
Randall Buth, PhD
www.biblicalulpan.org
ybitan at mscc.huji.ac.il
randallbuth at gmail.com



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