[B-Greek] sigma at end of "porneia(s)" ?
Mark Lightman
lightmanmark at yahoo.com
Thu Sep 30 19:44:14 EDT 2010
Barry wrote to John:
<...ditch the interlinear and start learning Greek. You won't regret it...>
Barry is 100% half right.
Mark L
Φωσφορος
FWSFOROS MARKOS
________________________________
From: Barry H. <nebarry at verizon.net>
To: John Benson <johncbenson at gmail.com>; b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Thu, September 30, 2010 3:09:28 PM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] sigma at end of "porneia(s)" ?
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Benson" <johncbenson at gmail.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2010 4:51 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] sigma at end of "porneia(s)" ?
> A struggling student's questions:
>
> My Dictionary of New Testament Terms has a good explication of "porneia."
> However the text in my interlinear bible with which I am working says
> "porneias" with the ending sigma added. I am unsure if I can simply use the
> definitions of porneia as if the s wasn't there.
>
> What difference does it make? Why are there two forms?
>
> Thanks for the kind attention.
I take it that you have not studied Greek at all? Greek is an inflected
language, which means that endings on the nouns (and verbs, and pronouns, and
adjectives) tend to change according to the grammatical function of the noun in
the sentence. This does not change the lexical definition of the word, only its
usage in the sentence. While you didn't list a verse, the "s" (sigma) at the
end of the word is most likely the genitive singular ending (though
theoretically it could be the accusative plural). The genitive can be a bit
tricky, but mostly its used for constructions which in English translate with
the word "of," "of sexual immorality..." The accusative could be used of the
direct object, the object of certain prepositions...
So your definition is ok, but please, ditch the interlinear and start learning
Greek. You won't regret it...
N.E. Barry Hofstetter, semper melius Latine sonat...
Classics and Bible Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net
(2010 Savatori Excellence in Education Winner)
V-P of Academic Affairs, TNARS
bhofstetter at tnars.net
http://www.tnars.net
http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog
http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry
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