[b-greek] RE: Hendiadys

From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Sat Jul 28 2001 - 03:54:26 EDT


At 9:23 AM +0200 7/28/01, Iver Larsen wrote:
>> Can we have hendiadys with an embedded adjective?
>>
>> For example,
>> <noun> KAI PASHi <noun>
>>
>> I'll give a specific example, but I'd like the answer to be in
>> terms of the more general question above.
>>
>> Phil. 1:9
>>
>> EPIGNWSEI KAI PASHi AISQHSEI
>
>My answer would be: yes, we can. Hendiadys describes the semantic
>relationship between two noun phrases, not just two simple nouns. I think
>the label hendiadys was invented because the function of Greek KAI is
>different from the function of English "and". The English "and" implies that
>the two coordinated noun phrases are semantically disjunct, that is, they
>have very little, if any, overlap in meaning. This constraint does not apply
>to the Greek KAI. The two noun phrases may have significant semantic
>overlap. The Greek KAI is an "additive", more than a disjunctive, and it can
>add a different aspect or fuller explanation to the same idea. This is
>especially common in Hebraic Greek. I am not so sure about other varieties
>of Greek.
>
>For instance, we could look at Mark 15:1 and Matt 21:5 which I am quoting
>here in a literal English rendering to save me a bit of time:
>
>"the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the
>whole council"
>(The elders and scribes mentioned are part of the whole council, not
>separate entities.)
>
>"mounted on a donkey and on a colt, the foul of a donkey"
>(the donkey and the colt refer to the same entity, the second being a more
>specific description. A generic reference followed by a more specific,
>detailed reference is very basic to Hebrew structure. This is one instance
>where the English "and" is clearly misleading.)

Although I think that's true regarding the original Hebrew text, it should
be noted that Matthew appears to have understood that text as referring to
two animals, and it would certainly appear that he has Jesus sitting on
both of them. He continues (21:6-7): POREUQENTES DE hOI MAQHTAI KAI
POIHSANTES KAQWS SUNETAXEN AUTOIS hO IHSOUS HGAGON THN ONON KAI TON PWLON
KAI EPEQHKAN EP' AUTWN TA hIMATIA KAI EPEKAQISEN EPANW AUTWN.


--

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
Most months: 1647 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cwconrad@ioa.com
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/

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