[B-Greek] Revelation 16:19 - the great city

L. Harris ljoharris at ckt.net
Thu Dec 29 14:39:56 EST 2005


Regarding the many usages of the word KAI, there is a name for that called 
"POLUSUNDETON". The Greeks developed a science called "SCHEMA", which the 
Latins carried on with called "Figura" and which come to us as "figures of 
speech". E.W. Bullinger in his book Figures of Speech used in the Bible 
states:

"All language is governed by law; but, in order to increase the power of a 
word, or the force of an expression, these laws are designedly departed 
from, and words and sentences are thrown into and used in new forms, or 
figures. The ancient Greeks reduced these new and peculiar forms to science, 
and gave names to more than two hundred of them"....the knowledge of this 
ancient science is is so completely forgotten, that its very name to-day is 
used in a differnet sense and whith almot an opposite meaning."

One such usage of a Greek Figure or SCHEMA" is POLUSUNDETON and means MANY 
ANDS (KAI) and is described by Bullinger as:

The repetition of the word "and" at the beginning of successive clauses. 
Polysyndeton. Greek, POLUSUNDETON, from POLUS, many and SUNDETON, bound 
together; hence, in grammar, it means a conjunction. The word, therefore, 
means 'much bound together' or 'many conjunctions'. It is also called 
POLYSYNTHETON,  from TITHEEMI,to put or place. Hence 'many puttings: i.e., 
of the same word - at the beginning f successive sentences: but his is 
always one special word "AND", Greek KAI.

The Greeks also had one for NO KAI, or "no ands" called Asyndeton. These 
were not just haphazard usages but were a major part of Greek grammar and 
writing. SCHEMA or figures of speech were used to attract the attention of 
the hearer (or reader which err the case may be.) Obviously it's done it's 
job (ha ha)

Bullinger goes on to state: "The laws of Grammar decide for us how the 
conjunction "and" shoudl be used. If we are enumerating a number of things, 
we (by usage) place the conjunction immediately before the last. (eggs, 
bacon, toast AND jelly [my example]) This the the COLD LAW, which leaves 
what we say without any special emphasis. But this law may be legitimately 
broken in tow different ways for the sake of emphasis. In order to attract 
the attention of the hearer or reader, wemay either use NO ANDS, or we may 
use MANY ANDS. May may use these figures, however, without sufficient 
reason, and unwisely: but the Holy Spirit [and obviously the ancient Greeks 
who developed this grammatical science (my comment)] ever uses words in all 
perfection, and it behoves us carefully to note whatever He thus calls our 
attention to. When He uses "many-ands" ther eis never any climax at the end. 
Instead of hurrying us on, breathlessly, to reach the important conclusion; 
we are asked to sstop at each point, to weigh each matter that is presented 
to us, and to consider each particular that is thus added and emphasized."

In thinking about the use of the word "and" I know that when ever I use it 
out of the normal sense it's also because I want to emphisize something, 
like: "Get out of the house AND mow the lawn, AND don't forget to empty the 
garbage, AND feed your dog!"

This is really a great book to have it's called "Figures of Speech Used in 
the Bible" by E.W. Bullinger. But I would like to have a secular one on just 
the Greek language in general. I think I'll see if I can find one.

Hope this was of interest.
Linda Harris




More information about the B-Greek mailing list