[B-Greek] Semantic Range of Prepositions
Richard Lindeman
oblchurch at msn.com
Sun Mar 21 08:15:48 EDT 2010
After thinking about it I believe that I have come up with an answer to my own questions concerning my frustrations with interpreting prepositions. Carl's earlier comments about "count" words helped.
Prepositions are not "count" words. They are sort of the "God" words in human language. They have no substance and cannot be counted and cannot be seen. Prepositions are simply pointers of space/time. They are very much like noun case endings which are also simply pointers of space/time. This makes them to be much more rich in meaning and also much more volatile in meaning than other words that are count words. For we live in a world of space and time and all of the actions and events of our existence and all of our communications concerning such actions and events occur within that space/time world. And when the preposition pointers intersect with the other pointers of case endings and then when they intersect with people and places and events in the real world that is when meaning is given to all our count words, the words that we really think have meaning and substance.
So yes, context is key in determining the meaning of prepositions. But I am also coming to understand that prepositions by their very nature are more flexible and volatile in meaning than all other words. And one more thing. I am learning that language itself is an imprecise thing. And communication is therefore an imprecise thing. It really doesn't matter so much whether I view prepositions spatially/temporally themselves or if I happen to view them only interpretively in respect to the words and case endings they happen to intersect. Being scripture I want the koine to be incredibly precise in its communication of God's word. But being God, He chooses to speak to us in our human and very imprecise language.
Rich Lindeman
From: Michael Aubrey
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2010 3:33 PM
To: Richard Lindeman ; b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Semantic Range of Prepositions
I'm not entirely sure why you think that none spacial usages are not just simple prepositions. This is just how prepositions are. Even in English prepositions go far far beyond spacial usage.
In any case, context is always key. A good way to start is with the verb of the clause the preposition appears in. Certain verbs will require specific prepositional meanings.
Mike
http://evepheso.wordpress.com
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From: Richard Lindeman <oblchurch at msn.com>
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Sat, March 20, 2010 12:00:01 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] Semantic Range of Prepositions
One of the great challenges in koine is the semantic range of prepositions.
To what degree are prepositions just simple prepositions in koine and to
what degree are they extensions of noun case usage that require a semantic
analysis of the nouns they are associated with? And how can one tell the
difference? There always seems to be a balancing act going on between
reading of prepositions spatially, as true to their own meaning, and reading
prepositions interpretively as true to their context. Any words of advice on
this challenge from our more learned scholars?
Thanks!
Rich Lindeman
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