[B-Greek] GINOMAI: Middle or Passive in Tit 3:7?

Marty Cauley Marty.Cauley at sfrep.com
Tue Jun 28 17:49:06 EDT 2005


Dr. Conrad,

>From the comments extracted below from your PDF and email, I would have
presumed that preference is to be given to a middle understanding unless
agent is stated by agent or context indicates otherwise, and yet you gave a
passive preference for Tit 3:7. I would have preferred middle would myself.
But regardless, if there is no difference semantically, why the text change
in forms in 3:7? Just stylistic variation? 

Also, I'm intrigued by your suggestion of "Let us make good our status as
heirs" as the middle translation for 3:7. I like it. But I know those who
would say that "the middle voice has all but dropped out except in a few
'frozen' forms" in NT Greek and would regard your suggestion as an "over
translation." It would seem that some want to ignore the middle, but you are
making a considerable case for the middle. Any further documentation for
middle in general and the translation of "make good" in 3:7 would be
appreciated.
Thanks,
Marty Cauley

Extracts from your comments:
PDF:
Middle/passive.are fundamentally subject-focused  in meaning and only
secondarily came to assume any conventional passive function

Unless one can at least implicitly discern an agent (UPO + genitive) or
perhaps an instrumental dative (which is not nearly so clearly an indicator
of passive voice, since it might be used even with a reflexive verb), then
one might do best to identify the verb in question as "subject-focused"
("middle/reflexive")

When confronting a "middle-passive" form, assume it is "middle" unless the
context or construction points clearly to passivity; respect the differences
between ancient Greek and any modern language.

this verb [GINOMAI] too is essentially "middle" in sense although in some
contexts it may bear a passive sense,

Email:
If an agent or instrumental construction indicates that "getting to be in X
state" or "getting to  
be in X position" is brought about by some factor or agency other than the
subject of the verb, then you may term the particular verb form passive in
meaning."


-----Original Message-----
From: b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Carl Conrad
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 9:15 AM
To: B-Greek b-greek
Cc: Marty.Cauley at sfrep.com
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] GINOMAI: Middle or Passive in Tit 3:7?

Sorry; a key element was omitted from the URLs; try these instead:

     http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/Docs/NewObsAncGrkVc.pdf

     http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/Docs/UndAncGrkVc.pdf

On Jun 28, 2005, at 8:00 AM, Terry and Gail Cook wrote:

> Dr Conrad,
> I get the dreaded "the page cannot be displayed" error code when I  
> click on the links below.
> Terry Cook
> sDg

>> If you care to follow up on what I have written on Greek voice  
>> you  may find it in PDF form as:
>>
>>     http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/NewObsAncGrkVc.pdf
>>
>> and
>>
>>     http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/UndAncGrkVc.pdf


Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at ioa.com or cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/

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