[B-Greek] 2 Cor 11:16 Function of KAN

bitan buth ybitan at mscc.huji.ac.il
Tue Sep 27 12:38:26 EDT 2005


>2 Cor 11:16
PALIN LEGW, MH TIS ME DOXHi AFRONA EINAI, 
EI DE MH GE, KAN WS AFRONA DEXASQE ME, 
INA KAGW MIKRON TI KAUCHSWMAI
NRSV: I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, accept 
me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.
>Dear list,
I came across the verse quoted above tracing down all the occurrences of 
EI DE MH in the NT. I am slightly puzzled by KAN  (KAI EAN) in the 
clause following EI DE MH GE. Most translations seem to ignore it 
altogether and if I were to write this verse, I would have left it out 
(indeed, I am affected by Randall Buth's persistent message, though I 
like to think of it under the old header 'composition'.)
>Could anyone explain what KAN 'adds' to the sentence, or is it doing 
nothing more than strengthening the sense of EI DE MH GE?
>Regards,
>Dirk Jongkind

You seem on track. Paul seems to be piling up particles of concession and
affirmation, so why not include KAN as one more? 
This would explicitly repeat what was in the particle clause, 
"and if indeed in fact, even if as mindless, receive me (anyway)"

On persistence,
KAI WS OIDAS MAQWN THN AGGLIKHN GLWSSAN, H KARTERIA ESTIN ANAGKH EI
MAQHSOMEQA GLWSSAN. Along with 'comprehensible input' in live contexts,
which everyone agrees is a must for language learning, we need output, too.
(I would differ with Stephen Krashen on this last point. Terrell, of
"Krashen and Terrell", has argued this in follow up writings.)

ERRWSO
Randall Buth


Randall Buth, PhD
Biblical Language Center
www.biblicalulpan.org
c/o margbuth at gmail.com
also, Director, Biblical Studies in Israel
under Rothberg International School,
Hebrew University
ybitan at mscc.huji.ac.il






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