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question on καθήμενος from Rev 21:5

Posted: April 3rd, 2012, 9:01 pm
by GlennDean
Hi:

I'm translating Rev 21:5 and the word καθήμενος is giving me some trouble. The parsing code for this word is pt.pm.nsm (participle.present middle.nominative singular masculine). I would form this word as follows:

καθη + ο + μενο + ς

So my question is: why doesn't the η + ο contract to ω?

thank-you for your help!

Re: question on καθήμενος from Rev 21:5

Posted: April 3rd, 2012, 10:29 pm
by Louis L Sorenson
The verb stem is κάθ-η(σ)-μαι. This is an irregular mi verb with a stem of ησ. You would expect the sigma to effervesce and a compensatory lengthening or contraction to take place, but it acts like an athematic verb, not taking the connecting vowel. "The ς of the verb-stem appears only before -ται, -το. " ε.γ. ἦσται not ἤσεται and ἦμαι not ἦσμαι. See Smyth §789-790 http://artflx.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/phil ... Monographs The participle καθήμενος is in the same pattern.

Re: question on καθήμενος from Rev 21:5

Posted: April 3rd, 2012, 10:47 pm
by GlennDean
Thank-you Louis for the information! That it doesn't take a connecting vowel due to it acting like an athematic verb explains it