Re: 1 Cor 11:2

From: Randy LEEDY (Rleedy@bju.edu)
Date: Thu Dec 24 1998 - 10:46:30 EST


On this thorny issue of the proper voice for "deponent" verbs where
the form is ambiguous, I'm wondering what is inadequate, from Dale's
(or perhaps I should say Bauer's) viewpoint, about this simple guide
that I think I picked up from my 1st-year Greek teacher here at BJU:
middle if possible.

If I'm reading BDF correctly, it seems that the Koine is located
somewhere in the midst of a process of shifting deponents from the
earlier preference for middle-voice forms to the modern exclusively
passive-voice forms. It does not seem to me that there is any
significant difference in meaning associated with "middle deponent"
vs. "passive deponent," and the water is muddy enough that we cannot
discern even a consistent morphological pattern in Koine. So, on the
understanding that a shift from middle to passive form is in progress,
can we not simply assume that the form is middle except where it is
clearly passive, rather than categorizing individual verbs as "middle
deponent" or "passive deponent"? It seems to me that such a
catgegorization runs into significant problems of its own, since a
good many "deponent" verbs have both middle and passive forms in the
aorist (DUNAMAI, APOKRINOMAI, and GINOMAI are the first that come to
mind). I don't even find it explained and defended in BAGD, so I'm
wondering whether this may be a Boyerism perpetuated via Gramcord?

Anyway, I'd appreciate any insight into where Gramcord's scheme
originated and what marks it, at least in the view of some, as
superior to the simpler "middle if possible" approach. I probably
won't get back to may email until Saturday.

A blessed Christmas to all.

****************************
In love to God and neighbor,
Randy Leedy
Bob Jones University
Greenville, SC
RLeedy@bju.edu
****************************

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