2 Thes. 3:11 Is this humour?μηδὲν ἐργαζομένους, ἀλλὰ περιεργ
Posted: August 14th, 2016, 9:28 pm
In applying the Theory of Mind to our reading and understanding of dead languages, it is quite clear that for the most part we struggle to appreciate the mental state of the authours we read and what mental state they intend for us after reading what they wrote - how much easier is it to laugh or cry reading a book in English, rather than in Greek - a phenomenon that suggests to many that reading the Bible in their own language is more profitable than reading in Greek. Furthermore, because we do not live in the society they lived in, nor do we have to deal with them personally, we miss out on the acculturation that usually accompanies language acquisition. All we are left to do is to summise and hypothesise about what an authour's intentions, feeling and state of mind may have been, and the effect that they may have wanted to have.
Here is a phrase which displays some features, which could be interpreted as humour:
Here is a phrase which displays some features, which could be interpreted as humour:
The word ἐργάζεσθαι τι (used with a valance of 2 - second element in the accusative) means "to get something done", while περιεργάζεσθαι (used with a valance of 1) means "to be a busybody". There is a similarity in form and a contractio in meaning. One way of constructing humour is to play on our need to resolve the tension between contradictions. Is this a candidate for humour?2 thessalonians 3:11 wrote:μηδὲν ἐργαζομένους, ἀλλὰ περιεργαζομένους.