From: Eric Weiss (eweiss@gte.net)
Date: Fri Feb 06 1998 - 07:25:12 EST
Andrew Kulikovsky <anku@celsiustech.com.au> wrote:
> Excuse me for asking what I suspect is a very basic question, but
> according to a paradigm table I have the verb ending -ETW indicates a
> 3rd person present active imperative.
> I didn't know there was such a thing... What does it mean? How would
> you translate, say, LUETW?
We don't have a 3rd person imperative in English, hence the problem.
Goetchius' THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 1st-year Greek grammar
gives a nice imperative table on pp. 256-258:
Present Active Imperative
2s Free the prisoners! Keep freeing the prisoners!
3s Let him free the prisoners! Let him keep freeing the prisoners! (this
is the one you're asking about - 3rd person singular)
2p Free the prisoners! Keep freeing the prisoners!
3p Let them free the prisoners! Let them keep freeing the prisoners!
(Note: "Let" doesn't mean "allow" or "permit" - perhaps "He must free
the prisoners! He must keep freeing the prisoners!" helps clarify the
meaning.)
Present Middle Imperative
2s Have the prisoners set free! Keep having the prisoners set free!
3s Let him have the prisoners set free! Let him keep having the
prisoners set free!
2p Have the prisoners set free! Keep having the prisoners set free!
3p Let them have the prisoners set free! Let them keep having the
prisoners set free!
Present Passive Imperative
2s Be set free! Keep on being set free!
3s Let the prisoners be set free! Let the prisoners keep on being set
free!
2p Be set free! Keep on being set free!
3p Let the prisoners be set free! Let the prisoners keep on being set
free!
FOR THE AORIST he does the same thing, except he adds the word "start"
e.g., "Free the prisoners! Start freeing the prisoners!" This is not
necessarily an accurate depiction of the distinction of aorist vs.
present, but it can help you get the idea.
-- "Eric S. Weiss" http://home1.gte.net/eweiss/index.htm eweiss@gte.net
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