[B-Greek] Revelation 16:19 - Greek Figures of Speech...

L. Harris ljoharris at ckt.net
Thu Dec 29 14:47:03 EST 2005


After I wrote the previous message I did a search on Greek Figures of Speech 
and found a secular (just plain ol Koine) sight that teaches this aspect of 
Greek Grammar.
http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/silva.htm

Go to the right hand of the page and it lists the figures used and click on 
polysyndeton.

Seems like when I first got on the net 10 years ago I searched for all this 
stuff and found little. Haven't done a search for sevearl years in this area 
and now there are lots of info on it.

Linda Harris
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "L. Harris" <ljoharris at ckt.net>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Revelation 16:19 - the great city


> 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
> 




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