[B-Greek] Iterative, Customary, Gnomic, Conative, etc.
Jerry Reimer
Jerry at lsm.org
Thu Mar 29 20:10:43 EDT 2007
Dear Sirs,
Has anyone gone to Greece and studied Modern Greek for the purpose of improving his knowledge of Koine? By improvement I am talking about better understanding various items inside of the GK NT which appear to reflect change in the language occuring during the Koine period and that can now be seen clearly in Modern Greek. For example, as Zerwick has pointed out, eis was already pushing en out of the language during the Koine period and this can occasionally be seen in the NT. I am looking for other specific things like this (infinitives being replaced by ina and a subjunctive mood verb, etc.). Is there enough of this kind of thing to justify trying to learn Modern Greek or is sufficient to just identify these specific things (if possible) and let it go at that? I am trying to read Caragounis' book for this very reason. It is expensive to go to Greece and stay for six months or a year and study the language. However if it is worth it to do so then that is another matter. "Worth it" would mean that the impact (on comprehension of NT GK) of doing this would be sufficent to justify the effort and the expense. No doubt it would be a help to do this but is the degree of help substantial? I am somewhat aware of the danger of anachronistically reading Modern Greek idiom back into the NT but if the total continuity of the language is a really significant factor in exegesis (as Caragounis contends) then Modern Greek should be a great help. Your comments please.
Jerry Reimer
-----Original Message-----
From: frjsilver at optonline.net [mailto:frjsilver at optonline.net]
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:37 PM
To: Elizabeth Kline
Cc: greek B-Greek
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Iterative, Customary, Gnomic, Conative, etc.
Dear Friends --
It's entirely possible to have a conversation in KOINH (say ki-NI) Greek, and even to order from the menu! It's important that we acknowledge the limited (2200 words?) in specifically NT vocabulary, and realize that no book contains every word of a language.
Let's please also remember that the language of the NT is NOT DEAD. There's a whole nation, a church which still speaks and understands it, some people better than others -- just like English.
Come down from the ivory towers! Get out among the people! Forget the books and grammars and warmed-over remains of language! Go to Hellas, live with the orthodox Christian Greeks for a while, learn the names of various dishes and their wonderful flavors, and learn to read the Gospel like an educated native.
KALH SARAKOSTH!
Peace and blessings to all.
Father James Silver
Monk James
Orthodox Church in America
----- Original Message -----
From: Elizabeth Kline
Date: Thursday, March 29, 2007 1:47 pm
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Iterative, Customary, Gnomic, Conative, etc.
To: greek B-Greek
>
> On Mar 29, 2007, at 10:12 AM,
> wrote:
>
> > **Second language acquistion theory would say that a
> grammatical
> > medium is a
> > medium that will guarantee problems with fluency.**
>
> And people who learn, like parrots, to say a few things in a
> second
> language will never be able to do exegesis. The goal of learning
>
> biblical greek isn't to be able to order a meal in Koine since
> you
> will never find a waiter who will take an order in Koine.
>
> Elizabeth Kline
>
>
>
>
> ---
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