[B-Greek] How to ask "Can I...?"

Kenneth Litwak javajedi2 at yahoo.com
Thu Oct 30 14:43:47 EDT 2008


Thanks Randall and Carl.  Actually, I was trying to formulate the capability question, "Can you read this?"  I mentioned modal because I was thinking of the German equivalent koennen "to be able" rather than duerfen "I have permission to".   Yes, I know the difference between "can" and "may" in English. I could not think of any tense-voice-mood that suggests ability or permission as such in this way.   Thanks.


Ken


--- On Thu, 10/30/08, Randall Buth <randallbuth at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Randall Buth <randallbuth at gmail.com>
> Subject: How to ask "Can I...?"
> To: "Kenneth Litwak" <javajedi2 at yahoo.com>, "greek B-Greek" <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: Thursday, October 30, 2008, 3:39 AM
> Ken, you have asked a wonderful question.
> 
> Ken egrapse
> > If I want to ask the question,
> > "Can I see this/read this/whatever?"
> > would I do this just with a mood, like the optative,
> > or would I use the modal-like verb (on the analogy of
> German)
> > DUNAMAI?  I'm thinking no mood would do the job.
> > That owuld be like Might I see this?"
> > To say to a group, "Can you see this??"
> > you would ask "DUNASQE BLEPEIN TOUTO;"
> > Would that be the normal Koine Greek way to do it?
> Thanks.
> 
> Polite little conversational exchanges get at the heart of
> language use. You are moving in the right direction to use
> them in class.
> 
> They are also tricky, as you've noticed.
> 
> I'm assuming that your primary question "Can I
> ...?"
> was in the sense of "may I ...?".
> 
> First, on DYNASQAI, Germans are sometimes amused when
> learning English because the English tell them to ask about
> 'capability' "am I capable...", "can
> I ...?"
> when they are really interested in 'permission'
> "may I ...?".
> 
> So how does one say "May I ...?"
> 
> a rather simple request is
> δος μοι αναγνωναι σου το βιβλιον
> DOS MOI ANAGNWNAI SOY TO BIBLION.
> give me to read your book. ="can I read your
> book?"
> 
> Because of our modern backgrounds, we often feel better
> adding
> παρακαλω
> PARAKALW, one possible equivalent of 'please', or
> συγγνωμη    συγγνωθι
> SYGGNWMH and SYGGNWQI, which are also useful as equivalents
> for 'excuse me, as a favor'
> 
> If the request is simply to look over a book on the spot,
> then
> 
> συγγνωμη (συγγνωθι), δος μοι
> ιδειν το βιβλιον
> SYGGNWMH (or SYGGNWQI), DOS MOI IDEIN TO BIBLION
> or
> συγγνωμη, θελω ιδειν το βιβλιον
> SYGGNWMH, QELW IDEIN TO BIBLION
> εαν επιτρεψης, θελω ιδειν το
> βιβλιον
> EAN EPITREPSHS, QELW IDEIN TO BIBLION
> 
> or with imperative
> παρακαλω σε, επιτρεψον μοι ιδειν
> το βιβλιον
> PARAKALW SE, EPITREPSON MOI IDEIN TO BIBLION
> παρακαλω σε ινα επιτρεψης μοι
> ιδειν το βιβλιον
> PARAKALW SE INA EPITREPSHS MOI IDEIN TO BIBLION.
> to a superior, perhaps
> δεομαι σου, επιτρεψον μοι ιδειν
> το βιβλιον
> DEOMAI SOY, EPITREPSON MOI IDEIN TO BIBLION
> 
> Carl's suggestion is also good, though formal,
> certainly understandable and usable in 1c CE:
> 
> συγγνωμη, βλεποιμι αν το
> βιβλιον?
> (SYGGNWMH), BLEPOIMI AN TO BIBLION?
> 
> In a letter or more formal style you can really wax
> elequent:
> 
> επιτρεψας μοι ιδειν το βιβλιον
> ευ ποιησεις
> EPITREPSAS MOI IDEIN TO BIBLION EU POIHSEIS.
> ουκ αν επιτρεψης μοι ινα ολιγα
> βλεπω το βιβλιον?
> OYK AN EPITREPSHS MOI INA OLIGA BLEPW TO BIBLION?
> σοι χαριν αν εχοιμι επιτρποντι
> μοι το βιβλιον βλεπειν
> SOI XARIN AN EXOIMI EPITREPONTI  MOI TO BIBLION BLEPEIN.
> 
> δυναμαι ιδειν το βιβλιον?
> And if we sometimes say, "DYNAMAI IDEIN TO
> BIBLION?" we will
> forgive ouselves. I'm sure I've done it more than
> I'm aware. We
> would just be visitors to Athens απο των
> βρετανικων νησων
>  APO TWN BRETANIKWN NHSWN.
> 
> ERRWSO ερρωσο
> IWANHS Ιωανης
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Randall Buth, PhD
> www.biblicalulpan.org
> randallbuth at gmail.com
> Biblical Language Center
> Learn Easily - Progress Further - Remember for Life


      



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