[B-Greek] Distinguishing the "we"

Eric Inman eric.inman at wescorpflex.com
Tue May 16 08:17:03 EDT 2006


Carl,

I think you're talking about something different than what Guy is referring
to. For example, Bahasa Indonesia has two words for "we:" "kita" and "kami."
"Kita" includes those being addressed, "kami" excludes them. As you might
imagine, this feature comes in very handy sometimes.

Mark 9:38 is an example where translators use both words:

EIDOMEN (kami) TINA ... EKBALLONTA DAIMONIA, KAI EKWLUOMEN (kami) AUTON,
hOTI OUK HKOULOUQEI hHMIN (kita).

Eric Inman

-----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, May 16, 2006 5:39 AM
To: B-Greek B-Greek
Cc: guy gavero
Subject: [B-Greek] Distinguishing the "we"

 From  From: guy gavero <guygavero at yahoo.com.ph>
Date: May 16, 2006 3:37:16 AM EDT
Subject: Distinguishing the "we"

Dear Sirs,

  I am a beginner in koine greek. I am just studying from the  
textbooks of my father.
  My question is how to distinguish between the "we" that includes  
the person/s who are listening to the
speaker, and the "we" that does NOT include the listeners (only the  
group accompanying the speaker).

Thank so much for your answer.

Guy Gavero

Your question is not altogether clear, and it would be much easier to  
interpret if you had given us a sentence or two containing the  
elements you are describing. Nevertheless I'm assuming you mean  
something like this: in one sentence the first-person-plural verb  
must be referring to an entire group while in another part of that  
group is being addressed by others. Let me suggest an example:

In 1 Cor 8:4-9 Paul writes

	4 PERI THS BRWSEWS OUN TWN EIDWLOQUTWN, OIDAMEN hOTI OUDEN EIDWLON  
EN KOSMWi KAI hOTI OUDEIS QEOS EI MH hEIS ... 7 ALL' OUK EN PASIN hH  
GNWSIS ... 8 BRWMA DE hHMAS OU PARASTHSEI TWi QEWi ... 9 BLEPETE DE  
MH PWS hH EXOUSIA hUMWN hAUTH PROSKOMMA GENHTAI TOIS ASQENESIN.

In verse 4 OIDAMEN indicates that those members of the Corinthian  
congregation who are addressed share with Paul the GNWSIS of the non- 
existence of the EIDWLA; in verse 7 Paul says that some people don't  
have that GNWSIS; in verse 8 he says that what WE eat will not bring  
US close to God; but in verse 9 he speaks to those very ones of whom  
he had earlier said "we know" -- and warns them not to let their  
"freedom" be an occasion of misbehavior by those who don't have the  
same GNWSIS that Paul and those being addressed have.

Now, IF that's what you're talking about, it's something you have to  
recognize and understand from the context; it occurs, but it doesn't  
occur that often, and I don't think this is something distinct about  
Greek but is rather something you'd find in any language.


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/



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/



Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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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