Perhaps this is a naive response, but I cannot, for the life of me, think
of any reason in the world why an elliptical ESTIN should be MORE forceful
than a NON-elliptical one, assuming that in both cases we're talking about
the copulative ESTIN which normally follows its predicate word. However, I
think the reverse might be true, particularly if the ESTIN *precedes* its
predicate word. I don't have a particular NT text in mind, but for example:
ESTIN GAR ZWN hO LOGOS TOU QEOU
My strong hunch, however, is that you're not likely to see that with a
copulative ESTIN, but instead it would be ZHi GAR hO LOGOS TOU QEOU.
When, on the other hand, the ESTIN is existential, it will almost, if not
without exception, ALWAYS be expressed and will very likely come near or at
the beginning of its clause.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University
One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, USA 63130
(314) 935-4018
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cwc@oui.com
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/