[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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