Re: TO SKOTOS vs H SKOTIA and 1John 1:5-6

Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Tue, 18 Nov 1997 18:27:22 -0600

At 5:28 PM -0600 11/18/97, lakr wrote:
>Dear B-GREEKER's
>
>I have been studying first John lately and have come upon
>these two words. In verse 5 there is no SKOTIA (H SKOTIA) in God
>and in verse 6 we are not to walk 'EN TW SKOTEI' (TO SKOTOS).
>
>I looked this up in Liddle Scott and in BAG, and did not
>see anything obvious.
>
>A brief search of the GNT appears to show that both forms
>are used for apparently the same meaning -darkness-, but
>the fact that these two forms are used in such close
>proximity in 1John 1:5-6 intrigues me.
>
>Also, since this is a memorization exercise for me, any
>information, even folklore at this point would be useful
>to help me differentiate between the two forms.

Well, I can't share any folklore, but I think there are several equivalent
alternative forms of the same root with distinctions of meaning that are
negligible, if they exist at all. TO SKOTOS appears to be the more common
older word; I suspect that the first-declension hH SKOTIA becomes more
common with the passing centuries. In the case of some nouns it is clear
that older forms are found more commonly in poetry, younger ones in
prose--although for many notions there are altogether different words in
poetry and in prose (e.g. CQWN, AIA, or even the older GAIA in verse for
the ordinary prose form GH for "earth," "land.") Another noun found in two
different forms in the NT is "son": 2nd declension hO hUIOS or 3rd
declension hO hUIEUS.

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/