>>What would you all think of presenting pronouns this way? Are there other
>>approaches that you have found helpful?
In reply, Tony said:
>Since two issues are at hand--identification and translation--I suggest you
>amend the listing according to your Anglo-Saxon inclinations so it looks
>like this:
>
>Singular:
>AUTOS he, it (masculine)
>AUTH she, it (feminine)
>AUTO it (neuter)
>
>Plural
>AUTOI they (masculine)
>AUTAI they (feminine)
>AUTA they (neuter)
[SNIP]
My comment:
For AUTO, Tony gives: "it (neuter)". But to complicate things, there are a
number of neuter words in Greek that mean a person (such as BREFOS,
KORASION, PAIDION, PNEUMA). When AUTO refers to one of these, it will
(usually) be neuter, but it will be translated "he"/"him" in English.
For example, PAIDION. See Mark 9:36: "He took a little child (PAIDION) and
had him (AUTO) stand among them. Taking him (AUTO) in his arms, he said to
them ..." So also Matthew 2:13; 18:2; Luke 1:59; 2:40; 9:47; etc.
Interestingly, when PAIDION is used referring to a girl, the grammatical
agreement rule is broken, and AUTO is used in the feminine form. Thus Mark
5:41: "And taking the child (PAIDION) by the hand, he said to her (AUTHi)
..." There does not appear to be any instance in the GNT of AUTO (neuter)
being used in reference to a female PAIDION, with the meaning "her".
Similarly with PNEUMA, when referring to the Holy Spirit: the neuter AUTO
is the form normally used, and again would be rendered in English by "him".
It does happen in the GNT though that the grammatical agreement rule is
breached, and AUTOS (i.e., the masculine form) is used in reference to the
Holy Spirit, though I just could not put my finger on where this occurs.
So, in the listing, AUTO will need to be: "it, he (neuter)"
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.