[B-Greek] PWS ECOUSIN ACTS 15:36

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Fri Aug 18 20:16:04 EDT 2006


On Aug 18, 2006, at 12:41 PM, Elizabeth Kline wrote:

> PWS ECOUSIN in Acts 15:36 is a nice example of abbreviated syntax.
> That which can be inferred from the context is left out. The textual
> cohesion is enhanced by requiring the reader to supply the "missing"
> semantic elements.
>
>
> ACTS 15:36 META DE TINAS hHMERAS EIPEN PROS BARNABAN PAULOS:
> EPISTREYANTES DH EPISKEYWMEQA TOUS ADELFOUS KATA POLIN PASAN EN hAIS
> KATHGGEILAMEN TON LOGON TOU KURIOU PWS ECOUSIN.

I might note that it's not at all uncommon in older Greek usage for  
the subject of a clause of indirect question to be indicated as the  
direct object of the verb of questioning, in this instance  
EPISKEYWMEQA. Luke is probably familiar with this literary usage.


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





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