[B-Greek] Ancient Greek Voice Forms

Eddie Mishoe edmishoe at yahoo.com
Sat Apr 16 13:22:24 EDT 2011


Mark,

That you are asking this question leads me to think that you may be struggling [who isn't] with the Greek composer (whether orally or in writing) who is "portraying" the action as subject-affected/focused regardless of how the action did in fact take place. In some sense, the Greek writer is forced to make such a decision time after time, to the extent that it must have gotten somewhat bothersome. And if you ask me, a Greek WRITER uses this technique far more consciously and with greater genius than someone communicating at the speed of thinking-talking. 

So, the question to ask with a Middle Voice subject-affected verb is... Why did the writer want to draw our attention to the subject in this particular instance?

Eddie Mishoe

--- On Fri, 4/15/11, Mark Lightman <lightmanmark at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Mark Lightman <lightmanmark at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Ancient Greek Voice Forms
To: "Carl Conrad" <cwconrad2 at mac.com>
Cc: "B-Greek B-Greek" <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Friday, April 15, 2011, 10:29 PM

What are some verbs that do NOT participate in subject-affectedness.  What would 
a sentence look like where the subject is NOT involved in the action?

 Mark L




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