[B-Greek] PROS in Heb 1:7-8 ( was Semantic Range of Prepositions

Elizabeth Kline kline_dekooning at earthlink.net
Mon Mar 22 14:01:03 EDT 2010


On Mar 22, 2010, at 8:41 AM, Richard Lindeman wrote:

> These texts illustrate a general principle: Stative verbs override the transitive force of prepositions. Almost always, when a stative verb is used with a transitive preposition, the preposition’s natural force is neutralized; all that remains is a stative idea."
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> The above observations have led me to have a keener interest in learning how to discern what makes a verb "stative" since it may have such an interesting influence on the transitive force of a preposition.
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> You may be well aware that there are two schools of thought (as indicated by Wallace in footnote 14 on pg. 361) about prepositions: One school views them as simply clarifying the meaning of the cases, often with the results that the prepositions are not treated seperately from case uses; the other school sees the preposition as the dominant element, with the result that prepositions deserve their own special treatment.


It seems that we are once again bogged down in discussions about meta language. The traditional framework generates a lot of confusion by using semantically loaded words like "govern" which has to do with which case(s) are used with a preposition, a rather trivial idea to be expressed with such a heavy handed word. The various linguistic frameworks attempt to bring order out of this chaos but don't always succeed. There are probably at least a dozen different frameworks, all with their own metalanguage. Most linguists are eclectic with the consequence that no two linguists use exactly the same language in exactly the same way. Some academic discussions of language attempt to enforce a certain amount of control over how the metalanguage is used but with various degrees of success.  


Prepositions are ambiguous. Take a look at PROS in:

Heb. 1:7 καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους λέγει· ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα,  8 πρὸς δὲ τὸν υἱόν· ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς εὐθύτητος ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου.  

Heb. 1:7 KAI PROS MEN TOUS AGGELOUS LEGEI· hO POIWN TOUS AGGELOUS AUTOU PNEUMATA KAI TOUS LEITOURGOUS AUTOU PUROS FLOGA,  8 PROS DE TON hUION· hO QRONOS SOU hO QEOS EIS TON AIWNA TOU AIWNOS, KAI hH hRABDOS THS EUQUTHTOS hRABDOS THS BASILEIAS SOU.   

Does the first PROS mark the addressees of LEGEI "to" or the subjectmatter of LEGEI "concerning"?  


Elizabeth Kline
 






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