From: Ben Crick (ben.crick@argonet.co.uk)
Date: Tue Aug 26 1997 - 12:24:22 EDT
On Mon 25 Aug 97 (22:58:08), jwrobie@mindspring.com wrote:
> Well, one distinctive feature of this verse is the infinitive used with
> imperative force, which Robertson calls an "absolute infinitive". I
> guess it is similar to English phrases like "smoking prohibited", though
> "smoking" is not an infinitive. German has similar form that does use an
> infinitive, e.g. "Rauchen verboten", "Betreten verboten".
The German syntax is clear; –(Das) Rauchen (ist) verboten•. The infinitive is
used as an anarthrous verbal noun, with present tense of "to be" understood.
Perhaps Robertson is thinking of the Hebrew Infinitive Absolute construction.
The Inf. Abs. is a verbal noun, corresponding to the English -ing ending:
"Smoking (is) forbidden"; "seeing is believing". In my Greek example, TO ZHN
CRISTOS KAI TO APOQANEIN KERDOS "Living is Christ; dying is gain" (Philippians
1:21).
It is also used to give emphasis, as in /KiY-BaReKh 'aBaReKKa/ (Genesis
22:17); EI MHN *EULOGWN EULOGHSW* SE (LXX & Hebrews 6:14): where the Greek
participle is used.
The Infinitive Construct with the preposition /L-/ expresses the English
infinitive with the preposition "to ": /LiShMoR/ to keep; /LiMShoL/ to reign;
etc.
-- Revd Ben Crick, BA Bristol, 1963 (hons in Theology) <ben.crick@argonet.co.uk> 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
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