New book on the Greek Article

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Matthew Longhorn
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New book on the Greek Article

Post by Matthew Longhorn »

Just spotted and ordered a new book called "The Article in post-classical Greek". It is published by SIL
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Post-Classical ... oks&sr=1-1

Wallace has given a blurb for it. I can't do a preview of the contents, but figured I would flag it for folk who may be interested in this topic
MAubrey
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Re: New book on the Greek Article

Post by MAubrey »

Matthew Longhorn wrote: September 11th, 2019, 8:59 am Just spotted and ordered a new book called "The Article in post-classical Greek". It is published by SIL
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Post-Classical ... oks&sr=1-1

Wallace has given a blurb for it. I can't do a preview of the contents, but figured I would flag it for folk who may be interested in this topic
Ah. Yes! I was supposed to contribute a chapter to this, but too many other projects got in my way. I believe Daniel King had actually invited B-Greek participants to submit abstracts when the project was first conceived.
Mike Aubrey, Linguist
SIL International
Koine-Greek.com
Stephen Carlson
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Re: New book on the Greek Article

Post by Stephen Carlson »

Interesting. Is there a table of contents for this book? Amazon doesn't list it.
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
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Daniel Semler
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Re: New book on the Greek Article

Post by Daniel Semler »

Stephen Carlson wrote: September 13th, 2019, 10:07 pm Interesting. Is there a table of contents for this book? Amazon doesn't list it.
I was wondering that. Took a few searches but here is one:https://www.bokus.com/bok/9781556714139 ... cal-greek/

Thx
D
Matthew Longhorn
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Re: New book on the Greek Article

Post by Matthew Longhorn »

Thanks Daniel, good to know! I saw it was from SIL and figured I would give it a look through. It is a subject I am still really interested in
Stephen Carlson
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Re: New book on the Greek Article

Post by Stephen Carlson »

Daniel Semler wrote: September 13th, 2019, 10:40 pm
Stephen Carlson wrote: September 13th, 2019, 10:07 pm Interesting. Is there a table of contents for this book? Amazon doesn't list it.
I was wondering that. Took a few searches but here is one:https://www.bokus.com/bok/9781556714139 ... cal-greek/

Thx
D
Good. Thanks. I’ll have to add that book to my wish list.
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
Melbourne, Australia
Matthew Longhorn
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Re: New book on the Greek Article

Post by Matthew Longhorn »

Some provisional thoughts on chapter two, written by Maria Napoli, in “The Article in Postclassical Greek”

Napoli presents a useful overview of the concept of definiteness. She does this from both a typological perspective as well as a Greek diachronic one.
She gives 9 pages discussing definiteness across languages and provides a cross-linguistic map of definiteness split into logical and pragmatic categories. Logical uses include abstract/generic nouns, proper nouns and common nouns with a unique referent. Pragmatic uses include anaphoric, situation identifiable and deictic uses.

Spending time to discuss the concept of definiteness is useful and the map gives a tool to evaluate the function of the article over time and between languages. An example of the usefulness of this approach is the recognition that there are different “stages in the development of definiteness”. The postclassical and classical uses of the article are presented as functioning in the same phase; this being a phase where the article is optional with regards to nouns situated as logically definite category. Rather than just showing the similarity between classical and post-classical though it also allows for identification of the development in use over time and gives some confidence in what may otherwise be more tentative conclusions.

Napoli proceeds to discuss the notion of optionality and obligatoriness in classical (6 pages) and postclassical Greek (the remaining 19 pages). The NT section works through examples from categories in the map of definiteness. This includes discussion of the different uses observed in grammars such as anaphora (split into co-referential and inferable referents), presence or absence with proper nouns and also syntactical constructions such as prepositional phrases, articular infinitives.

Napoli also discusses such familiar topics as Colwell’s rule and other factors involved in the use of bare definite nouns.

A very enjoyable chapter and well worth a read.
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