A Majority- or Byzantine-Text version of the BibleWorks sentence diagrams?

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Randy Leedy
Posts: 20
Joined: September 6th, 2017, 2:46 pm

A Majority- or Byzantine-Text version of the BibleWorks sentence diagrams?

Post by Randy Leedy »

I'm not sure whether this forum topic or the "Projects" topic is the best place for this new thread; it's fine with me for a moderator to move it as appropriate. Also an initial word of thanks to Jonathan Robie for his ongoing work with this forum and in particular for his permission to post on this topic.

I'm the author of the Greek NT Sentence diagrams published in BibleWorks back around 2006 (Reed-Kellogg style--samples available at website link below). I've been granted joint rights to pursue other forms of publication. Though this following information is beside the point of this particular message, anyone interested in these diagrams in PDF form or a forthcoming Logos version can find further information at my website, www.NTGreekGuy.com.

I've occasionally been asked whether a version of these diagrams based on a Majority or Byzantine edition is under development or at least consideration. For the first time, my situation in life now positions me to consider such a project. However, I'm not financially independent, so the project would have to be funded at a level to meet my fairly modest living expenses. The amount needed would almost certainly range well up into 5-figure territory, but not into the upper half of that range. There are a variety of variables not yet known that would affect the funding required--such as how well my existing versions of the diagrams sell.

I have been "beating the bushes" in search of any interest in such a project. I can imagine all kinds of funding and ownership arrangements that would be viable, including one in which a sponsoring organization or publisher takes ownership of the completed project. A radically different model would be a subscription plan in which subscribers would have access to the work as it develops and then get a copy of the completed project when finished. I don't anticipate that the term of the subscription would be longer than one year or that the monthly cost would be higher than $4 or $5.

I've posted about this idea in three Facebook groups: my own Greek NT Diagramming group (about 2,450 members), the Nerdy Language Majors (about 6,800 members), and the Byzantine Text Theory group (about 1,100 members). Allowing for overlap, it's reasonable to think that these three groups likely represent more than 8,000 people. Of course many group members undoubtedly have notifications turned off and do not see much of the discussion. Still, I was surprised when during the period of a week after posting in these three groups, the grand total of people who have registered interest is just 3.

I have also polled some friends from within Majority-Text circles, including Maurice Robinson (primary editor of the Robinson-Pierpont text), in search of contacts who would be interested in such a project. So the prospects are looking bleak, but I can't help feeling that I simply have not yet managed to gain entree to audience I'm seeking. There is substantial interest in these diagrams on the part of critical/eclectic-text users. I don't want to come to a premature conclusion that adherents to the Majority and Byzantine schools are somehow less engaged in the serious study and exegesis of the text; there must be some other factor that explains the stark difference in interest levels that I have so far encountered.

My priority interest here is not income; I'm much more in search of an opportunity to use what God has put into my hands in the service of those studying the NT in Greek. If there's no demand for a Majority/Byzantine-text version of the diagrams (or even perhaps both), I will happily move on to other ideas and activities. I just don't want to give up the idea prematurely, as I believe the diagrams can be helpful to a wide range of users, and I'd like people to be able to have them, if possible, in a form that at least closely approximates the wording of their favorite text edition(s).

So if anybody has personal interest in the project or can suggest individuals or organizations that I might contact, I'd be grateful for your responses. Private messages would be fine if you want to pass along information that is best not expressed in public. The contact form at my webpage, www.NTGreekGuy.com/#ContactMe is preferable to me; I'll also look for private messages here on B-Greek from time to time.

Randy Leedy
Greenville, SC
www.NTGreekGuy.com
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