μονον - as an adverb
Posted: December 19th, 2011, 12:04 pm
I tried searching the archives and Funk's grammar and Smyth's grammar but I am still not clear how adverbs function with other words.
I noticed a few examples of "μονον" where it seems to unambiguously modify a noun clause:
[Matt 5] [47] και εαν ασπασησθε τους φιλους υμων μονον τι περισσον ποιειτε ουχι και οι τελωναι ουτως ποιουσιν
It certainly does not mean "only greet your friends" (and do nothing else) but "greet only your friends" (and greet no one else).
[Matt 21] [19] και ιδων συκην μιαν επι της οδου ηλθεν επ αυτην και ουδεν ευρεν εν αυτη ει μη φυλλα μονον και λεγει αυτη μηκετι εκ σου καρπος γενηται εις τον αιωνα και εξηρανθη παραχρημα η συκη
"μονον" must modify "φυλλα" because there is nothing else for it to modify; "only leaves" (and nothing else).
[Mark 6] [8] και παρηγγειλεν αυτοις ινα μηδεν αιρωσιν εις οδον ει μη ραβδον μονον μη πηραν μη αρτον μη εις την ζωνην χαλκον
Likewise, "μονον" must modify "ραβδον"; "only [a] staff".
[John 13] [9] λεγει αυτω σιμων πετρος κυριε μη τους ποδας μου μονον αλλα και τας χειρας και την κεφαλην
From the next part of the sentence it is clear that Peter says: "lord, not only my feet but also the hands and the head!".
But there are also clear instances where it modifies a verb:
[Mark 5] [36] ο δε ιησους ευθεως ακουσας τον λογον λαλουμενον λεγει τω αρχισυναγωγω μη φοβου μονον πιστευε
"μονον" surely modifies "πιστευε" and not "φοβου"; "just believe".
[Acts 8] [16] ουπω γαρ ην επ ουδενι αυτων επιπεπτωκος μονον δε βεβαπτισμενοι υπηρχον εις το ονομα του χριστου ιησου
From the context "μονον" modifies "βεβαπτισμενοι υπηρχον ...". By the way, why is such a periphrastic used instead of "βεβαπτισμενοι ησαν"?
And some where it modifies an adverbial clause:
[John 11] [52] και ουχ υπερ του εθνους μονον αλλ ινα και τα τεκνα του θεου τα διεσκορπισμενα συναγαγη εις εν
I should think "μονον" modifies the adverbial clause "υπερ του εθνους"; "{ not { only ( for the nation ) } } but { [also] so that ... }".
[John 12] [9] εγνω ουν οχλος πολυς εκ των ιουδαιων οτι εκει εστιν και ηλθον ου δια τον ιησουν μονον αλλ ινα και τον λαζαρον ιδωσιν ον ηγειρεν εκ νεκρων
Likewise "μονον" modifies "δια τον ιησουν"; "they came not only because of Jesus but [also] so that they might see Lazarus whom [he] raised out of [the] dead"
[John 17] [20] ου περι τουτων δε ερωτω μονον αλλα και περι των πιστευοντων δια του λογου αυτων εις εμε
I take "περι τουτων μονον" to be in contrast to "περι των πιστευοντων ..." and therefore "μονον" should modify "περι τουτων".
So my question is, is there any typical usage patterns that help to determine what "μονον" modifies? It seems that it must precede the verb and usually succeeds the adverbial clause or noun clause. Here are some examples:
[Matt 8] [8] και αποκριθεις ο εκατονταρχος εφη κυριε ουκ ειμι ικανος ινα μου υπο την στεγην εισελθης αλλα μονον ειπε λογω και ιαθησεται ο παις μου
Both the order and the context suggest "but only say [by] [a] word" instead of "but say [by] only [a] word".
[Matt 9] [21] ελεγεν γαρ εν εαυτη εαν μονον αψωμαι του ιματιου αυτου σωθησομαι
I think it means "if only I touch his garment" (if I can just touch his garment) and not "if I touch only his garment" (if I can touch even his garment).
[Matt 10] [42] και ος εαν ποτιση ενα των μικρων τουτων ποτηριον ψυχρου μονον εις ονομα μαθητου αμην λεγω υμιν ου μη απολεση τον μισθον αυτου
Which does it mean? I think the first, based on its position as well as the context.
(1) "whoever gives one of these little [ones] to drink only [a] cup of cold water in regard to [the] name of [a] disciple" (nothing but a cup of cold water)
(2) "whoever gives one of these little [ones] to drink [a] cup of only cold water in regard to [the] name of [a] disciple" (a cup of nothing but cold water)
(3) "whoever gives only one of these little [ones] to drink [a] cup of cold water in regard to [the] name of [a] disciple" (gives a drink to only one of these little ones)
(4) "whoever only gives one of these little [ones] to drink [a] cup of cold water in regard to [the] name of [a] disciple" (does nothing else other than this)
[Acts 18] [25] ουτος ην κατηχημενος την οδον του κυριου και ζεων τω πνευματι ελαλει και εδιδασκεν ακριβως τα περι του κυριου επισταμενος μονον το βαπτισμα ιωαννου
"μονον" should modify "το βαπτισμα ιωαννου" rather than "επισταμενος", right?
[1 Cor 7] [39] γυνη δεδεται νομω εφ οσον χρονον ζη ο ανηρ αυτης εαν δε και κοιμηθη ο ανηρ ελευθερα εστιν ω θελει γαμηθηναι μονον εν κυριω
Likewise; "μονον εν κυριω".
[1 Cor 15] [19] ει εν τη ζωη ταυτη ηλπικοτες εσμεν εν χριστω μονον ελεεινοτεροι παντων ανθρωπων εσμεν
I do not intend to re-ignite previous discussions but it does seem that the context must be consulted for this, implying that "μονον" modifies "εν τη ζωη ταυτη", meaning "only with respect to this life".
I have excluded occurrences of the phrases "ου μονον" and "μη μονον" because they function as conjunctions. Anyway this is just my personal attempt to understand how this adverb functions grammatically and not just what it means, as the context usually makes it very clear, so I would appreciate all your comments on my analysis.
And one more insignificant question:
[Matt 17] [8] επαραντες δε τους οφθαλμους αυτων ουδενα ειδον ει μη τον ιησουν μονον
Is "μονον" a "neuter" adverb as in "except only Jesus" or an accusative masculine determiner as in "except Jesus alone"? Or is there actually no discernible difference in meaning between a determiner and its corresponding adverb if used to modify a noun?
I noticed a few examples of "μονον" where it seems to unambiguously modify a noun clause:
[Matt 5] [47] και εαν ασπασησθε τους φιλους υμων μονον τι περισσον ποιειτε ουχι και οι τελωναι ουτως ποιουσιν
It certainly does not mean "only greet your friends" (and do nothing else) but "greet only your friends" (and greet no one else).
[Matt 21] [19] και ιδων συκην μιαν επι της οδου ηλθεν επ αυτην και ουδεν ευρεν εν αυτη ει μη φυλλα μονον και λεγει αυτη μηκετι εκ σου καρπος γενηται εις τον αιωνα και εξηρανθη παραχρημα η συκη
"μονον" must modify "φυλλα" because there is nothing else for it to modify; "only leaves" (and nothing else).
[Mark 6] [8] και παρηγγειλεν αυτοις ινα μηδεν αιρωσιν εις οδον ει μη ραβδον μονον μη πηραν μη αρτον μη εις την ζωνην χαλκον
Likewise, "μονον" must modify "ραβδον"; "only [a] staff".
[John 13] [9] λεγει αυτω σιμων πετρος κυριε μη τους ποδας μου μονον αλλα και τας χειρας και την κεφαλην
From the next part of the sentence it is clear that Peter says: "lord, not only my feet but also the hands and the head!".
But there are also clear instances where it modifies a verb:
[Mark 5] [36] ο δε ιησους ευθεως ακουσας τον λογον λαλουμενον λεγει τω αρχισυναγωγω μη φοβου μονον πιστευε
"μονον" surely modifies "πιστευε" and not "φοβου"; "just believe".
[Acts 8] [16] ουπω γαρ ην επ ουδενι αυτων επιπεπτωκος μονον δε βεβαπτισμενοι υπηρχον εις το ονομα του χριστου ιησου
From the context "μονον" modifies "βεβαπτισμενοι υπηρχον ...". By the way, why is such a periphrastic used instead of "βεβαπτισμενοι ησαν"?
And some where it modifies an adverbial clause:
[John 11] [52] και ουχ υπερ του εθνους μονον αλλ ινα και τα τεκνα του θεου τα διεσκορπισμενα συναγαγη εις εν
I should think "μονον" modifies the adverbial clause "υπερ του εθνους"; "{ not { only ( for the nation ) } } but { [also] so that ... }".
[John 12] [9] εγνω ουν οχλος πολυς εκ των ιουδαιων οτι εκει εστιν και ηλθον ου δια τον ιησουν μονον αλλ ινα και τον λαζαρον ιδωσιν ον ηγειρεν εκ νεκρων
Likewise "μονον" modifies "δια τον ιησουν"; "they came not only because of Jesus but [also] so that they might see Lazarus whom [he] raised out of [the] dead"
[John 17] [20] ου περι τουτων δε ερωτω μονον αλλα και περι των πιστευοντων δια του λογου αυτων εις εμε
I take "περι τουτων μονον" to be in contrast to "περι των πιστευοντων ..." and therefore "μονον" should modify "περι τουτων".
So my question is, is there any typical usage patterns that help to determine what "μονον" modifies? It seems that it must precede the verb and usually succeeds the adverbial clause or noun clause. Here are some examples:
[Matt 8] [8] και αποκριθεις ο εκατονταρχος εφη κυριε ουκ ειμι ικανος ινα μου υπο την στεγην εισελθης αλλα μονον ειπε λογω και ιαθησεται ο παις μου
Both the order and the context suggest "but only say [by] [a] word" instead of "but say [by] only [a] word".
[Matt 9] [21] ελεγεν γαρ εν εαυτη εαν μονον αψωμαι του ιματιου αυτου σωθησομαι
I think it means "if only I touch his garment" (if I can just touch his garment) and not "if I touch only his garment" (if I can touch even his garment).
[Matt 10] [42] και ος εαν ποτιση ενα των μικρων τουτων ποτηριον ψυχρου μονον εις ονομα μαθητου αμην λεγω υμιν ου μη απολεση τον μισθον αυτου
Which does it mean? I think the first, based on its position as well as the context.
(1) "whoever gives one of these little [ones] to drink only [a] cup of cold water in regard to [the] name of [a] disciple" (nothing but a cup of cold water)
(2) "whoever gives one of these little [ones] to drink [a] cup of only cold water in regard to [the] name of [a] disciple" (a cup of nothing but cold water)
(3) "whoever gives only one of these little [ones] to drink [a] cup of cold water in regard to [the] name of [a] disciple" (gives a drink to only one of these little ones)
(4) "whoever only gives one of these little [ones] to drink [a] cup of cold water in regard to [the] name of [a] disciple" (does nothing else other than this)
[Acts 18] [25] ουτος ην κατηχημενος την οδον του κυριου και ζεων τω πνευματι ελαλει και εδιδασκεν ακριβως τα περι του κυριου επισταμενος μονον το βαπτισμα ιωαννου
"μονον" should modify "το βαπτισμα ιωαννου" rather than "επισταμενος", right?
[1 Cor 7] [39] γυνη δεδεται νομω εφ οσον χρονον ζη ο ανηρ αυτης εαν δε και κοιμηθη ο ανηρ ελευθερα εστιν ω θελει γαμηθηναι μονον εν κυριω
Likewise; "μονον εν κυριω".
[1 Cor 15] [19] ει εν τη ζωη ταυτη ηλπικοτες εσμεν εν χριστω μονον ελεεινοτεροι παντων ανθρωπων εσμεν
I do not intend to re-ignite previous discussions but it does seem that the context must be consulted for this, implying that "μονον" modifies "εν τη ζωη ταυτη", meaning "only with respect to this life".
I have excluded occurrences of the phrases "ου μονον" and "μη μονον" because they function as conjunctions. Anyway this is just my personal attempt to understand how this adverb functions grammatically and not just what it means, as the context usually makes it very clear, so I would appreciate all your comments on my analysis.
And one more insignificant question:
[Matt 17] [8] επαραντες δε τους οφθαλμους αυτων ουδενα ειδον ει μη τον ιησουν μονον
Is "μονον" a "neuter" adverb as in "except only Jesus" or an accusative masculine determiner as in "except Jesus alone"? Or is there actually no discernible difference in meaning between a determiner and its corresponding adverb if used to modify a noun?