[B-Greek] Inceptive Verbs

George F Somsel gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Wed Mar 19 17:36:05 EDT 2008


Inceptive means beginning or starting.  It perhaps seems like a fine distinction, but BDF states

331. The ingressive (inceptive) aorist  (§318(1)): e.g. ἐσίγησεν [ESIGHSEN] ‘became silent’ A 15:12, ἐπτώχευσεν [EPTWXEUSEN] ‘became poor’ 2 C 8:9, ἔζησεν [EZHSEN] ‘came to life’ R 14:9 (Rev 13:14, 20:4). (The inchoative presents in -σκω [SKW] do not denote the beginning point, but duratively denote a gradual becoming: γηράσκω [GHRASKW] ‘am growing older and older’.)—Rob. 834.

Blass, F., Debrunner, A., & Funk, R. W. (1961). A Greek grammar of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (171). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.



 Robertson states

The same verb may sometimes be used either as constative (like ἐβασίλευσαν [EBASILEUSAN], ‘reigned,’ Rev. 20:4 above) or ingressive (καὶ ἐβασίλευσας [KAI EBASILEUSAS], ‘assumed rule,’ Rev. 11:17, though true here of God only in a dramatic sense). Thus ἐσίγησεν [ESIGHSEN] (Ac. 15:12) is ‘kept silence’ (constative), but σιγῆσαι [SIGHSAI] (verse 13) is ingressive as is ἐσίγησαν [ESIGHSAN] (Lu. 9:36). Cf. Burton, N. T. Moods and Tenses, p. 21. In Gal. 5:16, οὐ μὴ τελέσητε [OU MH TELESHTE], we have the constative aorist, while πληρῶσαι [PLHRWSAI] is effective in Mt. 5:17. In line with what has already been said, βαλεῖν [BALEIN] may mean ‘throw’ (constative), ‘let fly’ (ingressive) or ‘hit’ (effective). Cf. Moulton, Prol., p. 130. Illustrations occur in the N. T. in ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν εἰς φυλακήν [EBALEN AUTON EIS FULAKHN] (Mt. 18:30,
 constative, ‘cast’ or ‘threw’), βάλε σεαυτὸν ἐντεῦθεν κάτω [BALE SEAUTON ENTEUQEN KATW] (Lu. 4:9, ingressive, ‘hurl.’ Note ἐντεῦθεν [ENTEUQEN], as well as “perfective” force of κάτω [KATW]. Cf. Mt. 5:29), ἔβαλεν κατʼ αὐτῆς [EBALEN KAT' AUTHS] (effective, ‘beat,’ Ac. 27:14).
Robertson, A. (1919; 2006). A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (833). Logos.

and Burton says

2 Cor. 8:9; δι ʼ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν πλούσιος ὤν [DI' hUMAS EPTWXEUSEN PLOUSIOS WN], though he was rich, for your sakes he became poor. See also Luke 15:32; John 4:52; Acts 7:60; Rom. 14:9.
Rem. The Aorist of such verbs is not, however, necessarily inceptive. The same form may be in one sentence inceptive and in another historical. Cf. Luke 9:36 with Acts 15:12, the verb ἐσίγησα [ESIGHSA] being in the former historical, in the latter probably inceptive.

Burton, E. D. W. (1898). Syntax of the moods and tenses in New Testament Greek (3rd ed.) (21). Edinburg: T. & T. Clark.








george
gfsomsel

… search for truth, hear truth, 
learn truth, love truth, speak the truth, hold the truth, 
defend the truth till death.


 - Jan Hus
_________

----- Original Message ----
From: Cliff Boyd <jamescboyd at gmail.com>
To: B-Greek <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 11:35:05 AM
Subject: [B-Greek] Inceptive Verbs

This is my first contribution to the B-Greek list (though due to my attained
scholarship, or lack thereof, it may more rightly be called nothing more
than participation - with a hint, or more, of ignorance.)

I am requesting comments about inceptive verbs (all of which, if I am not
mistaken, end with -SKW).  I know of only two in the GNT - GINWSKW and
MEQUSKW.  I would like comments on the usage of these two words
particularly.  Also, what other inceptive verbs appear in the GNT?

It is my understanding that with an inceptive verb, some sort of continuing
process is involved.  Thus when GINWSKW or MEQUSKW are used (as in 1 John
2:3, Ephesians 5:18), they indicate that the subject has begun a process
(ie. knowing God, being drunk with wine).  An inceptive verb, then, can
refer to a subject that has begun and continues in the indicated process
regardless of how deeply involved they are.  With regards to GINWSKW (to
know), if one is in the process of coming to the knowledge of regardless of
what level of knowledge he has attained thus far, he might righly be
described with this verb.  With regards to MEQUSKW (to be drunk), if one is
in the process of becoming intoxicated regardless of what level of
intoxication he has reached thus far, he might rightly be described with
this verb.

Please correct my most likely flawed understanding of what it means for a
verb to be inceptive.

Cliff Boyd (son of William the Barbarian)
jamescboyd at gmail.com
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