Re: eis + accusative: FOLLOW-UP

From: Carlton Winbery (winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net)
Date: Tue Jul 21 1998 - 06:25:50 EDT


Carl Conrad replied to Edward;

>At 4:58 PM -0400 7/19/98, Edward Hobbs wrote:
>>Colleagues:
>>
>>I share with Carl Conrad a weariness with and suspicion of the
>>multiplication of categories by many of those writing grammars of
>>the Greek in the NT (Carl calls them "Koine grammarians"!), and I
>>almost believe his suggestion that many use the anti-Ockham motto,
>>ENTIA MULTIPLICANDA PRAETER NECESSITATEM!
>>
>>On "accusative of result," however, even standard classical grammars use
>>the category. Smyth-Messing gives "Accusative of Result" as a major
>>heading (p. 357), devoting sections 1578 and 1579 to it.
>
>The instances cited in these two little paragraphs ##1578-9 are all
>subcategories of what Smyth/Messing introduce on p. 355 as "INTERNAL OBJECT
>(OBJECT EFFECTED), and they are all used directly with the verb, none of
>them with a preposition, whether EIS or any other.
>
>>On EIS with the accusative (p. 376), S-M lists four usages:
>>a. Local;
>>b. Temporal;
>>c. Measure and Limit with numerals;
>>d. Other relations: Goal, Purpose, Intention; Relation to; Manner.
>> [NB: Purpose, but not Result]

I was away for several days and am way behind on reading b-greek and other
mail (over 100). I do tend to read Carl's post first and then others. I
noted the quote from James Brooks and my syntax on the use of EIS +
accusative to show result. When Jim and I were working on the syntax, we
were unaware of anyone having dealt with the prepositions the way we
attempted to do. We were heavily dependent upon BAG (pre-Danker). Under
EIS 4.goal, e."the result of an action or condition <italic> into, to, so
that <end italic>. Everyone who has struggled with the difference between
purpose and result knows that some calls are borderline. I would say that
our decision is not the result of our ignorance of Greek outside the NT,
but our effort to make our descriptions (and syntax is descriptive) as
clear as possible. I certainly agree with Carl on not multiplying
categories, though I have to admit to having done that on occasion.
However, it is a small step from an infinitive (a verbal noun) with EIS TO
to indicate purpose/result and a noun of action indicating purpose/result
with EIS. Egs. might be EIS METANOIAN, II Cor 7:9; EIS EPAINON, I PET.
1:7.

We have received more praise for the way we handled prepositions than any
other part of the book (letters from Metzger, Kubo, and others). Students
seem to have been able to handle prepositions better using our categories.
I would quickly add that we have now abandoned some of the categories (such
as the ill advised EIS + accusative of cause.)

I hope this late response doesn't ignore other mail. I am still reading.

Grace & peace,

Carlton L. Winbery
Fogleman Professor of Religion
Louisiana College
Pineville, LA 71359
winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net
winbery@andria.lacollege.edu

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