At 7:42 AM -0600 3/24/98, Randall M. Tidmore wrote:
Times_New_RomanFirst I appreciate
all the comments on the questions I have posed in the past. I am only a
second semester Greek student, so I lack a lot, in a lot of areas.
Times_New_RomanMy question has to do with
the difference in koine and classic Greek. If koine means "vulgar" or
"street talk," how do the "classic" writings help to understand it. Is
the general usage in the classics beneficial in understanding the usage
in the street? Are only parts of the classics beneficial, i.e., that
which is written as dialogue?
Times_New_Roman
This question is posed simply, but the answer is not
really a simple one. The Greek adjective KOINOS can mean "common," and
can mean "vulgar"--but these are two senses that overlap without being
anything like identical. What is usually meant when it KOINH Greek is
referred to is the somewhat simplified form of the Greek language used
first in the fifth-century Athenian Aegean empire (conventionally
called the "Delian League") but then especially after Alexander's
conquests all over the eastern Mediterranean as Greek became a "common"
in the sense of "universally usable" language of commerce and
administration in all those areas that were subject to rule by
Greek-speaking dynasties founded by Alexander's generals and engaged in
commerce promoted by new colonies of Greek-speaking peoples throughout
the eastern Mediterranean. As for "benefit," there's benefit to be
derived from the reading of any serious literature in any language,
whether classical or later--by which I mean nothing more than that
Homer, Sophocles, Plato and the New Testament are all very much worth
reading, and that there are comparable works worth reading in other
languages also.
Times_New_RomanAs one who studied Spanish as
a second language for missionary work in Honduras, I know that the
language spoken in the street was quite different than "text book"
Spanish. The same is really true of English, too. Those who speak the
street language understand it perfectly. Outsiders would have an
extremely difficult time understanding all the idioms, and a grammar
book and dictionary would be of very little benefit. In fact, the
grammar in English street talk is horrible.
Times_New_RomanDoes "koine" refer to that
type of usage? If so, I would think that the rules of grammar could not
be too rigidly applied to "koine." Is this part of the difficulty in
understanding and/or translating the "difficult texts"? Is this the
reason some clauses or phrases do not seem to match the word that it
appears they should modify?
Times_New_Roman
This again is more complex than the question seems to
assume. When you say, "the grammar in English street talk is horrible,"
that's too simplistic a statement. It depends on who is speaking on the
street, who is being spoken to, and what the subject of the talk is.
There's considerable variation and gradation even in very colloquial
English.
It is true that the grammar of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Plato is
considerably more complex than that of most of the New Testament, but
even within the New Testament there's a considerably wide range: the
gospel of John and the book of Revelation are written in very simple
Greek, while the letter to the Hebrews is much more difficult and
complex, and the gospel of Luke is in a relatively sophisticated style
that is certainly not "street language." But the sorts of questions
you're raising cannot be answered in terms of black-and-white
distinctions.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University
One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cconrad@yancey.main.nc.us
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/