Emotive words in Koine Greek

Semantic Range, Lexicography, and other approaches to word meaning - in general, or for particular words.
Stephen Hughes
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Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Re: Emotive words in Koine Greek

Post by Stephen Hughes »

Another apparently emotive word is μαίνεσθαι. μαίνεται "He's crazy", Μαίνῃ "You're crazy" and μαίνεσθε "You're crazy" are all used disparagingly.
John 10:20 wrote:Ἔλεγον δὲ πολλοὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν, Δαιμόνιον ἔχει καὶ μαίνεται· τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε;
They used as an emotive way to stop others taking him seriously.
Acts 12:15 wrote:Οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν εἶπον, Μαίνῃ. Ἡ δὲ διϊσχυρίζετο οὕτως ἔχειν. Οἱ δὲ ἔλεγον, Ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.
She understood that Μαίνῃ meant they would not take her seriously.
Acts 26:24-25 wrote:Μαίνῃ, Παῦλε· τὰ πολλά σε γράμματα εἰς μανίαν περιτρέπει. Ὁ δέ, Οὐ μαίνομαι, φησίν, κράτιστε Φῆστε, ἀλλὰ ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα ἀποφθέγγομαι.
Paul insists that what he is saying is ἀληθῆ and σώφρονα.
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
RandallButh
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Joined: May 13th, 2011, 4:01 am

Re: Acts 21:21 Counterintuitive complexity - διδάσκειν + 2 a

Post by RandallButh »

timothy_p_mcmahon wrote:
RandallButh wrote:Hebrew had a vulgar word in the prophets but the LXX used euphemisms, as would the MT at a later period.
Sorry to go off topic, but is this reflected in the qere/ktiv alternatives?
Yes
Stephen Hughes
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Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Re: Emotive words in Koine Greek

Post by Stephen Hughes »

1 Corinthians 6:5 wrote:πρὸς ἐντροπὴν ὑμῖν λέγω.
ἐντροπή also seems to be a very emotive word, invoking a sense of shame in the hearers.
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
Stephen Hughes
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Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Re: Emotive words in Koine Greek

Post by Stephen Hughes »

Words of the βδέλυγμα "abhorent thing" family probably evoked an emotional response too. There is not necessarily any concrete meaning associated with it.

σεισμός in the atmosphere as a "windstorm" or on the ground as an "earthquake" quite probably brought a sense of fear to the listeners.
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
Stephen Hughes
Posts: 3323
Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Re: Emotive words in Koine Greek

Post by Stephen Hughes »

For the sense of "No(t)", is there anything to add to the scale of
  • οὐ / μή + verb,
  • οὐ (alone),
  • οὐ μή + verb,
  • Οὐχί! (When used in statements not questions),
  • Μὴ γένοιτο!
Presumably the question, τί μεριμνᾶτε; "Why worry?" is less intense than Μὴ μεριμνήσητε! "Don't worry!"

Is the phrase Μή σοι μελέτω "Don't let it bother you." Similar enough to them to warrant comparison?
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
Stephen Hughes
Posts: 3323
Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Re: Emotive words in Koine Greek

Post by Stephen Hughes »

For "Yes.", are there more than just the three steps - from
  • the neutral restatement of the verb to
  • the less intense ναί on to
  • the more intense μάλιστα?
LSJ μάλα wrote:III. Sup. μάλιστα most of all, above all
...
6. in answers, most certainly, Ar.Pl.827, etc.; “μ. γε” S.OT994, Ar.Nu.253; “μ. πάντων” Id.Av.1531; “πάντων μ.” Pl.Grg.453d; v. supr.1.4. (Orig. perh. fiercely, cf. μαλερός.)
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
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