[B-Greek] Ambiguity
Carl Conrad
cwconrad2 at mac.com
Fri Feb 5 08:37:49 EST 2010
On Feb 5, 2010, at 8:14 AM, Mark Lightman wrote:
> For what it is worth, Todays Greek Version renders the first
> hHNIKA with οποτε hOPOTE and the second hHNIKA with
> οταν hOTAN. The ABE Modern Greek gives οσακις hOSAKIS
> for the first, and for the second it gives
> μολις (which in Modern Greek means something like
> "as soon as") All temporal expressions, though
> maybe as Carl said, "temporal/generalizing."
>
> The Modern Greek has no more authority than any other
> translation, but I mention it only to remind everyone that
> Ancient Greek is a more ambiguous language than even
> Modern Greek.
>
> I think Donald is correct that while one CAN go
> see the conditional and or causal force of the
> hHNIKA's here, one should not.
I think Mark's statement about the ambiguity of ancient Greek is
right on target. I do believe that there are quite a few texts, the
meaning of the Greek text which is essentially unmistakable. I
think, however, that there are several that are open to alternative
interpretations whereof one or more is/are more probable than
othres -- and I rather think that there are more passages than we readily
admit that do not provide clear grounds for determining which
sense is preferable (my apologies to any who find my opinion
offensive). I think too that we often ask questions about
what's in an author's mind that go beyond anything that s/he has
clearly stated. This is not, of course, just a matter of ancient Greek;
it's true, I believe, of all communication: making oneself clear is
an enterprise that we sometimes succeed at and sometimes don't.
It does demand an effort -- if we really care to be understood.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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