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RE: What is a Greek Sentence + Elephants and Bananas

Micheal Palmer wrote:

>>>>>>>>>>>
{big snip}
Systemic Functional Grammar is only one among many schools of
thought in modern linguistics. In fact it is so different from most others
that trying to compare it with more widely used models to decide which is
'best' is like comparing elephants to bananas. 
{big snip}
Still, even within Systemic Functional Grammar, dependent clauses are
viewed as carrying (performing) particular functions within the
higher-level clause in which they are included. Porter's definition of the
clause in the glossary of _Idioms of the Greek New Testament_ allows for
this. It is not necessary to read it as saying that dependent clauses are
not part of the clauses which contain them. The definition of 'dependent
clause' on page 230 does not explicitly say that dependent clauses are part
of the main clauses which contain them, but it does not rule this out
either. Whether he sees them as 'part of' the main clause or not, he
clearly does see them as performing a function within, or in relationship
to the main clause.
>>>>>>>>>>

I am very happy to know that I will not have to throw out my working model for K. Greek 
clauses. But were back to square one on K. Greek sentences. I will now hazard a wild stab 
at a definition for a Greek sentence that would fit within the framework that I think 
Micheal is using:  

*A sentence is made up of one or more clauses that are syntactically interdependent 
and/or show a high level of semantic coherence.* 

The only problem I have with this definition is that it works fairly well for paragraphs. The 
reason it works well for paragraphs is that a well written paragraph will have a high level 
of semantic coherence and it is made up of clauses. 


Re: Elephants and Bananas

Is it any wonder that a poor Bible student working on his own is unable to sort out all this 
linguistics stuff. I am willing to buy dinner for anyone who can say with a straight face that 
they read Stanley E. Porter's PhD. dissertation word for word, cover to cover and 
understood it. 

Anyway, I thank Micheal Palmer for clarifying things again.

Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point

Postscript

Carl Conrad was right, I sent this to the wrong list. That will not happen again. I reorder my 
address list and put the acts list at the bottom.