Word order and emphasis in Acts 2:39

RandallButh
Posts: 1105
Joined: May 13th, 2011, 4:01 am

Re: Word order and emphasis in Acts 2:39

Post by RandallButh »

While reading Josephus Antiquities 14.490 today I ran across an example of Focus+Contextualization/markedTopic + Verb.

παύεται δ᾿ οὕτως ἡ τοῦ Ἀσσαμωναίου ἀρχὴ μετὰ ἔτη ἑκατὸν εἰκοσιέξ.
οἶκος λαμπρὸς οὗτος ἦν καὶ διάσημος

"Thus ceases the Hasmonean rule after 126 years.
This (relating to larger context, 'Hasmonean family') was an illustrious and and conspicuous house/family."

While in principle the 'be' verb and pronoun subject 'this' do not make the best examples, they seemed to fit the example being discussed a few days ago of a (marked) Focal element followed by a (marked) Contextualizing Constituent (i.e., non-Focal, but marked by fronting) followed by the Verb.
What's wrong with 'be'? Frequency of pattern: it fronts its Subject as almost a knee-jerk reaction and loves to follow along after.

SteveR, I'm sure we've discussed this before and that you have some Greek examples somewhere of Foc Top Verb ... . (I do too, but I'm travelling.)
Stephen Carlson
Posts: 3351
Joined: May 11th, 2011, 10:51 am
Location: Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Word order and emphasis in Acts 2:39

Post by Stephen Carlson »

Stirling Bartholomew wrote:
Stephen Carlson wrote: ETA: The biggest difference for me between Koine and Classical is the shift from an SOV type to a VO type. It has to affect to the information structure, but I have not fully grasped how.
Stephen,
Is this a feature of Koine or a reflection of the LXX in NT word order?
Sorry I missed this response, but Mike answered as I would have: it's a feature of Koine. The LXX quotations in the NT have a different feel to me; preposing feels more common, but I haven't studied the differences in detail.
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
Melbourne, Australia
Stephen Carlson
Posts: 3351
Joined: May 11th, 2011, 10:51 am
Location: Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Word order and emphasis in Acts 2:39

Post by Stephen Carlson »

RandallButh wrote:While reading Josephus Antiquities 14.490 today I ran across an example of Focus+Contextualization/markedTopic + Verb.

παύεται δ᾿ οὕτως ἡ τοῦ Ἀσσαμωναίου ἀρχὴ μετὰ ἔτη ἑκατὸν εἰκοσιέξ.
οἶκος λαμπρὸς οὗτος ἦν καὶ διάσημος

"Thus ceases the Hasmonean rule after 126 years.
This (relating to larger context, 'Hasmonean family') was an illustrious and and conspicuous house/family."

While in principle the 'be' verb and pronoun subject 'this' do not make the best examples, they seemed to fit the example being discussed a few days ago of a (marked) Focal element followed by a (marked) Contextualizing Constituent (i.e., non-Focal, but marked by fronting) followed by the Verb.
What's wrong with 'be'? Frequency of pattern: it fronts its Subject as almost a knee-jerk reaction and loves to follow along after.
That's a nice example, though it would be nicer to have one without εἶναι since it behaves a little differently, but it is nonetheless a nice example.

Thanks.
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
Melbourne, Australia
Post Reply

Return to “Pragmatics and Discourse”