Textual Notes

Greek technical abbreviations

Absolute. A noun, verb, paticiple .... standing alone in a sentence.

Genitive absolute. Formed by a genitive noun or pronoun + a genitive participle.

    Nominative absolute Formed by an independent substantive.

Adnominal. Something related to a noun.

Adversative. Contrast, "but", "rather than"

Agent. The person or thing performing the action

Anacoluthon. A broken or irregular syntactical construction where the author looses track of the syntax.

Anaphora. Particularly of an article referring back to a previous noun used earlier in the sentence. cf. 2Cor.5:4

in THIS tent

en tw/ skhnei

Anarthrous. Without an article

Anticedent. A word (the previous referent) referred to later in the sentence

Aorist. A verb with punctiliar action, having perfective verbal aspect:

i] Constative = the point of action;

ii] Ingressive = the point at which the action begins

iii] Culminative = the point at which the action ends

iv] Gnomic = expressing a universal truth

v] Epistolary = the action is expressed in the time-frame of the reader.

vi] Dramatic = used to express dramatic effect

vii] Futuristic = an action in the future that is certain to occur.

Apodosis. The clause that corresponds to the "if" clause, the protasis, in a conditional sentence.

Apposition. Two nouns, side by side, where the second further defines the first. Usually in the same case, sometimes the second is genitive.

Articular. With an article

Aspect. Verbal aspect defines the action of the verb:

Perfective where the action is complete - aorist tense

Imperfective where the action is in progress - present, imperfect tense

    Stative where the action is a given state of affairs - perfect, pluperfect tense

Asyndeton. The omission of a conjunction, both coordinating or adversative, where it would have been gramatically correct to have had one.

Attraction. The case of a relative pronoun that has improperly taken on the case (has been "attracted" to) its anticedent or predicate

a man whom we appointed

en andri wJ/ (oJn) wJrisen

Attributive adjective. One that directly modifies a substantive, as opposed to a predicative adjective which modifies a substantive indirectly.

Augment. The prefix e

Brachylogy. An overly concise expression

Catachresis. A word or phrase that is alien to the context

put to death therefore, [your] LIMBS on the earth = whatever in you is earthly, NRSV

nekrwsate oun ta melh ta epi thV ghV

Causal. A clause expressing cause, causative

Causative. A verb expressing cause

Chiasmus. A Chiastic construction is one where the word order is inverted. Possibly Semitic in origin. eg Matt.9:17.

Comparative. A clause expressing comparison. "as", "even as"

Complement. A word or phrase that adds to the sense of another word in the sentence.

Conative. Action that is attempted

Concessive. Concedes a point. "although", "though"

Concomitant. An action occurring at the same time

Concord. Where words in a sentence agree in number etc.

Conditional. A clause expressing a supposition

Conditional sentence. Made up of an "if" clause, the protasis, and a "then" clause, the apodosis:

i] 1st. class = the condition is assumed to be a reality.

ii] 2nd. class = the condition is assumed to be contrary to fact

iii] 3rd. class = the condition is assumed to be a future possibility

iv] 4th. class = the condition is assumed to be a remote future possibility

Consecutive. A clause expressing consequence, result - an achieved result.

Concessive. A clause that concedes a point, "although", "though"

Constructio ad sensum. Where a clause etc. follows good sense rather than good grammar.

Coordination. Two clauses given equal weight, joined by a coordinating conjunction

Copulative. An intensive verb that connects the subject and the predicate.

The main linking verbs

      eimi, ginomai, uJparcw, kalew

Crasis. The joining of two words with the loss of a vowel from the first

kai + moi = kamoi

Deliberative. Asks a question

Deponent verb. Verbs that have only middle or passive forms, but are active in meaning

Elative superlative. The absolute use of the superlative where there is no comparison

very/extremely small

elacistoV

Complement. A word or phrase used after a verb to complete predication.

Elision. The dropping of the final vowel of a word. Identified by an apostrophe.

through

di'... dia

Ellipsis. The omission of words from a sentence that are significant, but can still be determined from the context.

the [LETTER] from laodicea

thn ek LaodikeiaV

Epexegetic. Explanatory, explaining the meaning of, "because"

Epidiorthosis. A correction of a previous statement or impression

Epistolary plural. A singular writer refers to himself using a plural number

Final. A clause expressing purpose - an intended result

Future tense. Action in the future relative to the writer:

Predictive. The action will take place, either progressively (linear), repeatedly (iterative), or in a single action (punctiliar).

    Imperatival. Used for a command

Deliberative. Asking a question or implying doubt.

    Gnomic. Referring to an action that will always happen within certain parameters.

Generalizing plural. A plural used for a singular example of the same.

Herod

oiJ zhtounteV

Generic singular. A singular noun that refers to multiple examples of the same

Gnomic. Expressing a general truth.

Hapax Legomenon. A once only use in the New Testament

Hendiadys. A single idea expressed through two separate words joined by "and", kai

rejoicing and seeing = rejoice to see

cairwn kai blepwn

Hortatory. An exhortation

eg. subjunctive: afeV + subj. = "Let us ....."

Hyperbaton. An inversion of the normal word order. Often where the subject or object of a subordinate clause is displaced such that it becomes the subject or object of another clause, usually, the main clause.

Imperfect tense. Expressing linear action, usually in the past, in indicative mood only:

Descriptive. Progressive action that took place at some point of time in the past.

    Durative. Progressive action that took place over a long period of time, but is now complete.

    Iterative. Repeated action in the past, "they used to do ...."

    Tendential. Unrealized attempted action.

    Voluntative. A desire to attempt a certain action

I could wish that I myself were present with you right now

hqelon pareinai proV uJmas arti

Inceptive. The beginning of the action is emphasized, "began to".

Imperfective. The verbal aspect of action in progress, usually represented by the present and imperfect tense.

Indefinite. Not referring to a specific person or thing

Ingressive. Expressing the beginning of an action

Intensive. Indicating that the word has a heightened force, emphatic

Interjection. An exclamation

Interrogative. A word or phrase used to ask a direct or indirect question.

Intransitive. A verb whose action ends with the subject and does not "go over" (transeo) to a direct object. It makes complete sense in itself. eg. "I run".

Iterative. Repeated or habitual action

Linear. Action that is continuous or durative

Litotes. (Meiosis) A negated understatement used to state the opposite

a debate [of] no little [proportion] = a whopping big argument

zhthsewV ouk olighV

Locative. Expressing location, place

Local. A clause expressing place, "where"

Metonymy. The substitution of one term for another for which it is associated

Middle voice. Used when the subject is intimately affected by it's own action

Modal. Expressing manner.

Modifier. A word or phrase that qualifies or restricts another word

Object. A substantive that receives or is affected by the action of a verb.

Parataxis. Placed side by side

Paronomasia. The placement of words together that sound alike

that in everything always all = so that by always [having] enough [of everything]

iJna en panti pantote pasan

Perfect tense. Expressing a completed action that has abiding results:

Intensive. Emphasizing the present results or state of a past action.

Extensive. Emphasizing a past completed action from which has come abiding results.

Periphrastic tense. A roundabout way of expressing a simple verbal idea - the verb "to be" + a participle.

Perfective. The verbal aspect of a completed action, mainly represented by the aorist tense. The verb may be weak or strong.

Periphrasis. A roundabout way of speaking

Permissive. A word or phrase that gives permission

Pleonasm. The use of a redundant word

Postpositive. A word that never leads a clause or sentence, eg. "for", gar

Predicate. The verb plus its comlements or modifiers

Pregnant construction. A clause that carries an implied expression, eg. Lk.6:8

Stand into the center = COME into the center and stand here sthqi eiV to meson

Preterit. Expresses action that occurred in the past

Privative. A word with the prefix "a" serving to negate the word. Before a vowel = an

Proclitic. A word that has no accent of its own, eg:

eiV, wJV, ou

Prodiorthosis. An anticipatory correction of an expression or impression.

I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness

ofelon aneicesqe mou mikron ti afrosunhV

Proleptic. Where a future event is spoken of as having already occurred because of the certainty of its occurrence.

lit. unless someone remains in me he WAS CAST OUT

whoever does not abide in me will be thrown away.

ean mh tiV menh/ en moi eblhqh

Prospective. Pointing toward the future

Punctiliar. Instantanious or momentary action

Recitative hoti. Used to introduce direct speech. Redundant and not translated

Reflective. Where the action of the subject comes back on itself

Semitism. A Greek linguistic feature that demonstrates a Hebrew or Aramaic influence

Solecism. A grammatical mistake

Stative. The verbal aspect of a previous action with repeated or ongoing action, usually represented by the perfect and pluperfect tenses. The verb may be weak or strong.

Subordination. Where one clause is subordinate to another. Often a hina clause

Substantive. A noun or anything that functions as a noun

Superlative. The third degree of comparison - positive, comparative and superlative.

Synecdoche. Designating the whole by reference to a part of the whole

in the heart of you = in your HEART = in your WHOLE BEING

en taiV kardiaiV uJmwn

Tautology. Repetition of words and ideas that adds nothing to the sense.

Temporal. A clause expressing time, "when"

Theological Passive. A use of the passive voice when God is the implied agent.

Transitive. A verb whose action does not end with the subject, but "goes over" to a direct object. It requires an object to make sense of it. eg, "I buy" = "I buy my vegitables".

Voluntative. Expressing a wish or a prayer

Zeugma. Two nouns or clauses joined by a single verb that only suits one of them

milk I gave you TO DRINK not solid food (can't drink solid food!)

gala uJmaV epotisa ou brwma

Abbreviations.

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