[B-Greek] Acts 26:2-3

Barry nebarry at verizon.net
Sun Feb 3 09:23:16 EST 2008


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Iver Larsen" <iver_larsen at sil.org>
To: "Carl Conrad" <cwconrad2 at mac.com>; "Randall Buth" 
<randallbuth at gmail.com>
Cc: "B-Greek" <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 8:57 AM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Acts 26:2-3


> Carl mentioned the "lingering force" of hHGHMAI and an "implicit 
> participle of some sort". I think
> these are excellent leads, but I don't see how GNWSTHN ONTA SE can be 
> grammatically connected to
> either SOU or DEOMAI. I am reluctant to accuse Luke of producing "bad 
> grammar", so I am exploring
> other options.

>From a linguistics perspective, we all know that there is no such thing as 
bad grammar, right, only grammar that the users of the language find 
understandable and acceptable.  But what do we tell our beginning students? 
That if something appears to be missing from the clause, look to the 
immediate context to find it.  We have a verb perfectly able to govern an 
indirect statement, ἥγημαι, hHGHMAI.  Secondly, it would not be unusual, 
though not particularly common, to have an indirect statement governed by an 
implied verb.  Thirdly, although quite rare, I suppose we could say it's an 
"accusative absolute..."  :)

What's amusing about this discussion to me is that although we might have 
trouble explaining the precise nuance of the grammar, it's perfectly clear 
what Luke is saying.  I am reminded of a conversation recently in my AP 
Vergil class, in which there was a line of textbook perfect grammar.  The 
student commented how refreshing it was to see something she had actually 
learned in her beginning grammar laid out so neatly...

N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Professor, WRTS
http://www.wittenbergreformed.org
Classics Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net

and me:

http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry
http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog 




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