[B-Greek] Mark 1:5: Semitic influence?

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at ioa.com
Thu Jan 5 13:47:27 EST 2006


On Jan 5, 2006, at 12:08 PM, Lorinda Hoover and Jim Mossman wrote:

> Mark 1:5
>
> KAI EXEPOREUETO PROS AUTON PASA hH IOUDAIA XWRA KAI hOI  
> hIEROLUMITAI PANTES,
> KAI EBAPTIZONTO hUP AUTOU EN TWi IORDANHi POTAMWi EXOMOLOGOUMENOI TAIS
> hARMARTIAS AUTWN.
>
> I noticed that the first verb (EXEPOREUETO) is singular, agreeing  
> with PASA
> hH IOUDAIA XWRA, even though the plural hOI hIEROLUMITAI PANTES is  
> also,
> presumably, the subject of EXEPOREUETO.  Is this standard Greek  
> syntax, or
> is this a semitic influence?  (i.e. it is standard Hebrew to use a  
> singular
> verb with what in English one would consider a compound-and therefore
> plural-subject.)

In effect hOI hIEROSOLUMITAI PANTES is an added subject; this is  
pretty standard practice: the verb agrees with the first subject;  
Wallace (GGBB p. 401, "C.  Compound Subject with Singular Verb"  
suggests that this indicates the first subject is highlighted. I'm  
not convinced that's the case. Cf. Smyth §§965-968.

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




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