On the subject of iota subscript in the NT, a few further thoughts and two
questions.
Iota subscripts occur in the following three categories:
1. In verbs which begin with a diphthong in iota (AI, EI, or OI) when that
verb takes a temporal augment. Thus AITEW to imperfect HiTOUN, EIKAZW to
HiKAZON, OIKODOMEW TO WiKODOMOUN; and so also with the aorist. Carl
(97/11/03) instanced HiSQOMHN and WiMHN.
When a verb beginning with a iota diphthong is compounded with a
preposition, the past time forms will in consequence have the iota
subscript "in the middle of the word", as in Rev Craig's example on
97/11/03 of KATWiKHSEN (Mt 2:23), from KATOIKEW.
These forms containing iota subscript are predictable, and regular.
2. Every dative of every common noun, pronoun, adjective and participle
contains iota in its ending as the dative indicator ("dative morph"). This
is one of Greek's "exceptionless rules".
Whenever the phoneme preceding the iota is a long vowel (A, H, or W),
this dative iota will be subscript. Hence the forms KARDIAi, FWNHi, and
KURIWi. Carl discussed these in his post of 97/11/03. The role of this
subscript iota is to indicate that the form is dative; that is, it is the
dative numbercase ending in these words.
These forms containing iota subscript are predictable, and regular.
3. Then there are the words which have iota subscript within the lexical
morph in a word form.
(a) Carl (97/11/03) refered to APOQNHiSKW. This is a Second Conjugation
verb from aorist root QAN, and (like second aorists in general) it takes a
durative infix into its lexical slot to switch its aspect from its inherent
root aspect punctiliar to durative (i.e., to switch from the aorist of its
root to forms of the present and imperfect). Which particular infix will be
taken by a given second aorist in forming its present stem is
unpredictable, but one which is taken by some second aorist verbs (and also
numbers of verbs with first aorists) is -ISK- when added to a consonant and
-SK- when added to a vowel. Thus -QAN- (aorist root) becomes -QANISK-
(present stem). Then this present stem undergoes metathesis in the root -
the term for when two letters (phonemes) exchange places: totally
unpredictable and irregular, but it happens in several words. Thus we get
-QNAISK-. The -A- lengthens to -H-, and the iota goes subscript, giving
(APO)QNHiSKW.
(b) We also find names like hHRWiDHS, Herod (similarly in Herodians,
Herodias).
(c) Then there is SWiZW, which has iota subscript in the durative tenses
(present and imperfect) only (that is, whenever the form also has -Z-, so
that it either has -IZ- or neither). There are numerous other verbs in
-IZ-, but in these the iota does not follow a long vowel and has not gone
subscript, and is retained in the other tense subsystems of the verb (e.g.,
BAPTIZW).
My two questions are:
1. Is there any explanation for why SWiZW has this subscript iota in the
durative tenses, but not anywhere else?
2. Are there any other words with iota subscript for inclusion in Category
3, or is there even a Category 4? Or does the above cover everything?
Regards,
Ward
Rev Dr B. Ward Powers Phone (International): 61-2-9799-7501
10 Grosvenor Crescent Phone (Australia): (02) 9799-7501
SUMMER HILL NSW 2130 email: bwpowers@eagles.bbs.net.au
AUSTRALIA.