Two Studies in the Semantics of the Verb in Classical Greek

320 Pages·1996·5.79 MB·English

by  C. M. J. Sicking, Peter Stork

1WOSWDIES
IN THE SEMANTICS OF THE VERB
IN CLASSICAL GREEK
MNEMOSYNE
BIBLlOTHECA CLASSICA BATAVA
COLl.EGERUNT
J.M. BREMER • L F. JANSSEN • H. PINKSTER
H. W. PLEKET , C.J. RUIJGH • P.H. SCHRIJVERS
BIBUOTHECAE FASCICULOS EDENDOS CURAVIT
C.J. RUIJGH, KLASSIEK SEMINARIUM, OUDE TURFMARKT 129, AMSTERDAM
SUPPLEMENTUM CENTESIMUM SEXAGESIMUM
C.M.J. SICKING AND P. STORK
1WO STUDIES
IN THE SEMANTICS OF THE VERB
IN CLASSICAL GREEK
TWO STUDIES
IN THE SEMANTICS OF THE VERB
IN CLASSICAL GREEK
BY
C.M.J. SICKING
AND
P. STORK
E.J. BRILL
LEIDEN · NEW YORK · KOLN
1996
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the
Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library
Resources.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sicking, C. M. J.
Two studies in the semantics of the verb in classical Greek /
C.MJ. Sicking & P. Stork.
p. cm. - (Mnemosyne, bibliotheca classica Batava.
Supplementum, ISSN 0 169-8958 ; 160)
Contents: The synthetic perfect in classical Greek / by C.MJ.
Sicking & P. Stork - Aspect choice / by C.MJ. Sicking.
ISBN 9004104607 (alk. paper)
I. Greek langua~Semantics. 2. Greek langua~Verb.
I. Stork, Peter. II. Title. m. Series.
PA427.S53 1996
485--dc20 96-18306
CIP
ISSN 0 169-8958
ISBN 90 04 I 0460 7
0 CopyrighJ 1996 by EJ. Brill, Leiden, Tu Netherlands
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PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
To the late M.L. Sicking-Mexjes

This book consists of two parts which, both of them, deal with the
semantics of the Greek verb. For the first part, C.MJ. Sicking is
solely responsible. The second part is the result of cooperation of
C.MJ. Sicking and P. Stork.
CMJS
PS

CONTENTS
I
PART
ASPECT CHOICE
TIME REFERENCE OR DISCOURSE FUNCTION?
BY C.MJ. SICKING
Preface ............................................................................................ 3
Purpose and Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ................................ 5
1. HETTRICH's 'RULE' ......••.•.. .................••.........•. ..........••.....•...•...• 9
l. l. Subclauses with aorist forms ............................................ 11
1.2. Subclauses with imperfect forms ..................................... 14
1.3. Aorist participles .............................................................. 16
1.4. Present participles ............................................................ 17
1.5. Ambiguous instances? ...................................................... 19
1.6. Problematic Instances? .................................................... 21
1.6.1. Instances with a negated verb ................ ....... ....... 21
1.6.1.1. Negated present stem verb forms .......... 21
1.6.1.2. Negated aorist verb forms ...................... 24
1.6.1.3. 'Assimilation'? ......................................... 26
1.6.2. 'Ambiguous' verbs? .............................................. 26
1.6.2.1. Verba dicendi ......................................... 27
1.6.2.2. Special cases? .......................................... 29
1.7. Summary .......................................................................... 35
1. 7 .1. Hettrich's 'rule' reconsidered ........................... .... 35
1.7.2. Subclauses ............................................................. 37
1. 7 .2.1. Some observations on the semantics
w~,
of EltEl(i:E) and EltEL~ ........................ 39
1. 7. 2. 2. Refuting states of affairs and connecting
information units . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . ... . . . . . . . . . . 41
1. 7 .3. Participial clauses .................................................. 42
2. PosTPOSED SUBCLAUSES AND PARTICIPLES ••......••••.•••.......••..•••.•. 44
2.1. Postposed aorist subclauses .............................................. 44
X CONTENTS
2.2. Postposed imperfect subclauses ...................................... 47
2.3. Summary .......................................................................... 50
2.3.1. Postposed aorist subclauses .................................. 50
2.3.2. Postposed imperfect subclauses ............................ 50
2.4. Postposed aorist participles .............................................. 51
2.5. Postposed present participles ........................................... 52
2.6. The case of EA.Jti.swv/0.nfoai; ............................................ 53
2.6.1. EA.Jti.swv/EA.Jti.oai;: the case of Croesus ................... 54
2.6.2. EA.Jti.swv/EA.Jti.oai;: remaining instances .................. 58
2.6.2.1. EAJti.swv: preposed ................................... 58
2.6.2.2. EA.Jti.swv: postposed .................................. 59
2.6.2.3. EAJti.oai;: preposed .................................... 62
2.6.2.4. EA.Jti.oai;: postposed .................................. 63
2.6.3. Summary .............................................................. 64
3. PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION ............. ............................................ 66
3.1. The discourse function of the contrast AS versus PS ..... 66
3.2. Time relationship? ........................................................... 67
3.3. PS and 'point of view' ..................................................... 70
3.3. l. Subclauses ............................................................. 70
3.3.2. Participles .............................................................. 72
4. A BASIC VALUE FOR AS VERSUS PS ........................................... 74
4.1. Focusfunction .................................................................. 74
4.2. Focus function and syntactic 'level' ................................. 77
4.2.1. Focus function of clause constituents and AS vs. PS 78
4.2.2. Aspect choice and reference ................................. 79
4.2.2.1. The 'Imperfect of endeavor' .................. 79
4.2.2.2. 'Ingressive' Aorist? .................................. 81
5. URGER STRETCHES OF NARRATIVE ........................................... 83
5.1. Periander and Lycophron ............................................... 83
5.1. l. 'Historical Present' ............................................... 85
5.1.2. Aorist main verbs ................................................. 85
5.1.3. Imperfect main verbs ............................................ 86
5.1.4. Preposed Aorist subordinate clauses .................... 86
5.1.5. The complete story ............................................... 88