[B-Greek] Does DUNAMI plus Infinitive equal permission was "How to ask 'Can I...?'"

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Fri Oct 31 05:57:24 EDT 2008


On Oct 31, 2008, at 2:43 AM, Bryant J. Williams III wrote:

> Dear List,
>
> Randall's (IWANNOU) reply was interesting. It seems that one's  
> ability to
> compose in Greek is no doubt the best indicator of one's fluency in  
> Greek. But
> it does bring up another question of whether DUNAMI connotes  
> permission or
> ability in Koine that should be considered. It would be interesting  
> to examine
> all the combinations of DUNAMI + Inf. in questions in Koine  
> literature to see if
> it is ever used for permission.
>
> So ladies and gentlemen of B-Greek, "Does it?"

No. DUNAMAI [δύναμαι]  (there is no DUNAMI [δύναμι]) means  
"be able, have the capability (to do something). In English we may use  
"can" in the sense of "be allowed" or "have permission (to do  
something)" (Louw & Nida domain §74) -- but Greek (ancient Greek, at  
any rate) most commonly uses EXESTI [ἔξεστι] + dative +  
infinitive to express that notion. 'Permission" falls within L&N doman  
§13D ('happen'). If the intended sense of the question, "Can I do  
this" is "May I do this?" then I think the speaker (of Koine) would  
say something like EXESTI MOI TOUTO PRATTEIN? ἔχεστί μοι  
τοῦτο πράττειν;] or EPITREPEIS MOI TOUTO PRATTEIN?  
[ἐπιτρέπεις με τοῦτο πράττειν;] (other verbs  
equivalent to permit: EAW [ἐάω], AFIHMI [άφίημι], SUGCWREW  
[συγχωρέω]).


Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)






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