[B-Greek] Matt 27.30 Why the Imperfect ETUPTON

Wayne Leman wayne_leman at sil.org
Wed Aug 22 20:59:18 EDT 2007


Mitch, I had a few senior moments when I first responded to your message. I 
think it would be better for me just to say that time is not the *primary* 
focus of Greek tense. Kind of action is a focus of the tense-aspect system 
of Greek but tense is still a part of what are traditionally called Greek 
tenses. I did not intend to enter the debate over tense and aspect in Greek. 
I don't think it's an either/or issue. As for your question below, I think 
it would be better for others to answer your question.

Wayne
----
Wayne Leman
Better Bibles Blog:
http://englishbibles.blogspot.com

> Wayne:
>
> I've read a little on the tense and aspect debate (not
> enough to have a position), and now that you mention
> it, I would be interested in raising this additional
> question:
>
> What is the difference in these two texts:
>
> 1. KAI EMPTUSANTES EIS AUTON ELABON TON KALAMON KAI
> ETUPTON EIS THN KEFALHN AUTOU
>
> 2. KAI EMPTUSANTES EIS AUTON ELABON TON KALAMON KAI
> TUPTOUSIN EIS THN KEFALHN AUTOU
>
> Sentence 2. was my attempt to change the Imperfect to
> a Present. In my mind, if you remove tense (in the
> traditional sense of time-based) from the Imperfect
> and Present, what distinguishes them in contexts like
> the above since both are imperfective in aspect?
>
> I almost concluded that the Imperfect (rather than the
> Present) was used because of the time factor!
>
>
>
> Mitch Larramore
> Sugar Land, Texas
>
>
>
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