[B-Greek] Lexica, Dictionaries, Glossaries and Worth/Utility (long ...)

Jonathan Robie jwrobie at mindspring.com
Fri Jul 18 16:07:37 EDT 2008


Carl W. Conrad wrote:
> To illustrate the difference between these resources, let me cite  
> entries for a relatively simple word, TECNH:
>
> UBS Dictionary (Barclay Newman): τέχνη, ης f craft, trade;  
> artistic ability, craftsmanship
>   

That's not much better for me than just seeing what English word a 
particular translation uses.

> BDAG: τέχνη, ης, ἡ (Hom.+; loanw. in rabb.) skill, trade Ac  
> 17:29; Rv 18:22. Pl. Dg 2:3. σκηνοποιὸς τῇ τ. α σκ.  
> by trade Ac 18:3. τέχνην ἔχειν have and practice a skill  
> or trade (Eur., Suppl. 381; X., Mem. 3, 10, 1 al.) Hs 9, 9, 2; D 12:4. 
> —JKube, ΤΕΧΝΗ und ΑΡΕΤΗ ’69.—DELG. M-M. Sv.
>   

One thing I really appreciate is that BDAG has become very accessible. 
It doesn't take much more time to read this than to read the Barclay 
Newman, but I have references to the major uses of the word, the 
definitions are more meticulous and precise, and there are references to 
significant literature that will help me get a deeper understanding. Of 
course, when needed, entries can take pages and can be quite complex, 
but there always seems to be a good reason for that.

And since I focus on the GNT, and sometimes the LXX or early Patristic 
writings it gives me just what I need for the corpus I care about.

> LSJ: techn-ê, hê, (tektôn) art, skill, cunning of hand, esp. in  
> metalworking, Od.3.433, 6.234, 11.614; also of a shipwright, Il.3.61;  
> of a soothsayer, A.Ag.249 (pl., lyr.), Eu.17, S.OT389, etc.; technai  
> heterôn heterai Pi.N.1.25; ôpase t. pasan Id.O.7.50.
> 	2. craft, cunning, in bad sense, doliê t. Od.4.455, Hes.Th.160: pl.,  
> arts, wiles, Od.8.327.332, Hes.Th.496,929; doliais technaisi  
> chrêsamenos Pi.N.4.58; technais tinos by his arts (or simply by his  
> agency), Id.O.9.52, P.3.11; technên kakên echei he has a bad trick,  
> Hes.Th.770, cf. Pi.I.4(3).35(53), S Ph.88, etc.
> 	3. way, manner, or means whereby a thing is gained, without any  
> definite sense of art or craft, mêdemiêi t. in no wise, Hdt.1.112;  
> itheêi t. straightway, Id.9.57; pasêi t. by all means, Ar.Nu.1323, Th. 
> 65, Ec.366; pantoiai t. S.Aj.752, etc.; ouk apostêsomai ..oute t. oute  
> mêchanêi oudemiai IG12.39.22; pasêi t. kai mêchanêi X.An.4.5.16;  
> mête t. mête mêchanêi mêdemiai Lys.13.95.
> 	II. an art, craft, pasai technai brotoisin ek Promêtheôs A.Pr. 506,  
> cf. IG12.678; tên t. epistasthai to know the craft, Hdt.3.130;  
> phlaurôs echein tên t. ibid.; tês t. empeiros Ar.Ra.811; tautên  
> technên echei he makes this his trade, Lys.1.16, cf. 6.7; en têi t.  
> einai practise it, S.OT562, Pl.Prt.317c; epi technêi mathein ti to  
> learn a thing professionally, opp. epi paideiai, ib.312b, cf. 315a;  
> technai kai ergasiai X.Mem.3.10.1; technên to pragma pepoiêmenoi  
> having made a trade of it, D.37.53; technas askein, meletan,  
> ergazesthai, to practise them,X. Cyr.1.6.26,41 (Pass.), Oec.4.3;  
> patrôian technan ergazesthai halieuesthai Praktika Arch. Het.1932.52  
> (Dodona, iv B.C.); iatros tên t. POxy. 40.5 (ii A.D.); tetherapeukôs  
> anenklêtôs têi t., of a barber, PEnteux. 47.3 (iii B.C.); paramenô  
> pros hupêresian tês t. (viz. weaving) Sammelb. 7358.20 (iii A.D.);  
> apo technôn trephesthai live by them, X.Lac. 7.1.
> 	III. an art or craft, i.e. a set of rules, system or method of making  
> or doing, whether of the useful arts, or of the fine arts, Epich. 
> 171.11, Pl.Phdr.245a, Arist.Rh.1354a11, EN1140a8; hê empeiria technên  
> epoiêsen, hê d' apeiria tuchên Polus ap. eund.Metaph. 981a4; hê  
> peri tous logous t. the Art of Rhetoric, Pl.Phd.90b; hoi tas t. tôn  
> logôn suntithentes systems of rhetoric, Arist.Rh.1354a12, cf. Isoc. 
> 13.19, Pl.Phdr.271c, Phld.Rh.2.50 S., al.; hence title of various  
> treatises on Rhetoric (v. VI; but rather tricks of Rhetoric, in  
> Aeschin. 1.117); technêi by rules of art, Pl.Euthd.282d; ê phusei ê  
> technêi Id.R. 381b; technêi kai epistêmêi Id.Ion532c; aneu  
> technês, meta technês, Id.Phd.89e: t. defined as hexis  
> hodopoiêtikê, Zeno Stoic.1.20, cf. Cleanth. ib.1.110.
> 	IV. = technêma, work of art, handiwork, kratêres .., andros  
> eucheiros technê S.OC472; hoplois .., Hêphaistou technêi Id.Fr. 156,  
> cf. Str.14.1.14, PLond.3.854.4 (ii A.D.), Paus.6.25.1, al.
> 	V. = suntechnia, hê t. tôn lithourgôn, tôn sakkophorôn, Dumont- 
> Homolle Mélanges d' archéol. et d' épigr.p.378 No.65,66 (Perinthus);  
> t. burseôn, suropoiôn, IGRom.1.717,1482 (both Philippopolis); tous  
> kataleipomenous apo têis t. BGU1572.12 (ii A.D.); ho chalkeus apo tês  
> t. SIG 1140 (Amphipolis).
> 	VI. treatise on Grammar, D.T. tit., or on Rhetoric, Anaximenes  
> Lampsacenus tit.
>   

I'm usually just a little overwhelmed by LSJ if I try to use an entire 
definition. It is hard for me to know exactly how much of this applies 
to the time period and the place that I am most interested in. How do I 
know which of these definitions are unlikely at the time and place of 
the Greek New Testament?

Jonathan



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