[b-greek] Re: On the meaning of OLIGOS, -H, -ON (Ex. Mat 9:37)

From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Sat Jul 28 2001 - 18:13:45 EDT


At 9:31 AM -0700 7/28/01, c stirling bartholomew wrote:
>on 7/28/01 5:36 AM, Hirokatsu Yoshihara wrote:
>
>> Dear list-members
>>
>>
>> This is my first posting. I am always thankful to this list.
>>
>> My question is on the meaning of an adjective OLIGOS, -H, -ON. Does it
>> have a negative meaning seen in "few" in contrast to "a few" in English?
>> Although Matthew 9:37 is translated as "the workers are few." (NASB) or
>> "the laborers are few;"(NRSV), BAGD, Abott-Smith, Louw and Nida, and
>> Rienecker and Rogers are all not clear about this matter.
>>
>> So, is the negative meaning (or connotation at most) inherent to the
>> Greek word? Or, is it just added in the process of being translated
>> into English? Please tell me your opinions. Thank you very much.
>>
>>
>> =====
>> Hirokatsu Yoshihara ?hiro-likeluke@mbd.nifty.com?
>> Asia Pacific Theological Seminary, Baguio, Philippines
>> July 28, 2001 (Sat.) 19:46 +08:00
>>
>
>Hirokatsu,
>
>Just took a look at Louw & Nida to refresh my memory. As far as I can
>determine there is no negative connotation to this word. It is an adjective
>of comparison, like more and less, greater and fewer and so forth.
>
>The only way this could be given a negative slant is if someone were to buy
>into the great American myth that big is good and little is bad.
>
>Perhaps I am missing your point. I do that a lot.
>
>Welcome to b-greek.

I can't even think of Greek terms for little and lots, particularly when we
start talking "megamega," without immediately recalling Callimachus'
dictum, MEGA BIBLION MEGA KAKON; of course, Callimachus repeatedly
expressed his preference for the intricate and delicate over the large and
coarse, particularly in literature.

That said, I think it really depends upon the context whether OLIGOS has a
positive or negative connotation. Obviously it has a negative connotation
when Matthew's Jesus is talking about the disciples as OLIGOPISTOI--where
the OLIGO- root obviously means "insufficient" or "inadequate in measure."

I'm noting a couple passages where there doesn't seem to be any pejorative
sense in OLIGOS/H/ON:

2 Cor 8:15 KAQWS GEGRAPTAI: hO TO POLU OUK EPLEONASEN, KAI hO TO OLIGON OUK
HLATTONHSEN (where we must supply a participle of some such verb as
"gather," or "harvest."

1 Tim 5:23 MHKETI hUROPOTEI, ALLA OINWi OLIGWi CRW DIA TON STOMACON KAI TAS
PUKNAS SOU ASQENEIAS.

--

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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