[B-Greek] σύν SUN: opposite meanings

Daniel Buck bucksburg at yahoo.com
Mon Apr 25 23:16:52 EDT 2011


προπεμπόντων ἡμᾶς πάντων σὺν γυναιξὶν καὶ τέκνοις ἕω
PROPEMTONTWN hHMAS TANTWN SUN GUNAIXIn KAI TEKNOIS --Acts 21:5

I recently noticed a switch in translating SUN in Acts 21:35 from "and" to 
"including." Since these are mutually exclusive meanings in English, I checked 
Perseus to see if Greek was any different. Sure  enough:

8. including, “--” IG12.329.5, cf. 22.1388.85, 1407.12, al.;  “--” Th.2.13, cf. 
4.124, 5.26, 74, 7.42, 8.90, 95; "--” Ar.Fr.100;  “--” Lys.21.4, cf. 2; “--” 
Is.6.33, cf. 8.8,35, 11.42,46, Aeschin. 2.162, D.19.155, 27.23,al., 
Arist.HA525b15,17, Ath.19.6, Hipparch. 1.1.9, al., PSI10.1124.14 (ii A.D.). 


9. excluding, apart from, plus, "--" six with (but not including) me the  
seventh, A. Th.283; “--” Arist.HA 490a32; “--” D. 27.61; “--” together with . . 
, PEnteux.32.7, cf. 89.9 (iii  B.C.); “--” Ev.Luc.20.1, cf. Ep.Gal.5.24. 

(I deleted all the Greek text, but it can be read online 
at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=sun&la=greek#Perseus:text:1999.04.0057:entry=su/n-contents)


My question is, what are the contextual clues that indicate whether SUN means 
"including" or  "excluding?"

one of the examples for #8:
Isaeus 6:33 "he sold some goats with their goat-herd" (indistinguishable)
8: 8 "giving her a dowry of twenty-five minae including raiment and jewelry" 
(whole, including parts)
8: 35 "the fittings of his private residence, worth, including the slaves, about  
thirteen minae" (whole, including parts)

Daniel Buck


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