From: Trevor & Julie Peterson (spedrson@thesimpsons.com)
Date: Thu Apr 27 2000 - 06:22:18 EDT
<x-charset iso-8859-1>I'm sure others will be able to give you more complete answers with specific
examples, but the short answer is, no, it cannot be sustained from the
present tense. The confusion is a common one, especially in older grammars,
between aspect (German, Aspekt) and what we typically call by the German
term Aktionsart (in English, something like "kind of action"). Whether an
action is ongoing or not is a factor of more than just the inflection of the
verb. It can include that, but it also relates to things like context and
the semantic range (definition) of the word itself. When we talk about the
present tense having a "continuous" aspect, what we mean is that the action
is portrayed from a perspective that allows us to see internal progression.
If you have access to Dan Wallace's "Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics," his
chapter on introducing tenses would probably be quite helpful to look at.
He goes on in the next chapter to discuss a number of different ways that
the present tense form can function, including instantaneous, progressive,
extending-from-past, iterative, customary, gnomic, historical, perfective,
conative, futuristic, and as retained in indirect discourse. Some of these
functions would fit what you have described, but some would not. So the
tense itself allows for plenty of options.
Trevor Peterson
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Maxey [mailto:maxey@zianet.com]
> Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2000 5:03 AM
> To: Biblical Greek
> Subject: Question on Matthew 19:9
>
>
> I would like to ask a question concerning the significance of the present
> tense for "commits adultery" in the Matthew 19:9 passage. Some
> suggest that
> since this term appears in the present tense that this suggests ongoing
> action. In other words, the second union is a *continuous* action of
> adultery (characterized by some as "living in sin"). Can such a view be
> sustained by an appeal to the present tense in this passage?
>
> And further, can the present tense in Greek be used to signify something
> other than continuous action, and if so are there examples of
> such in the NT
> writings?
>
> Any information you can give me on this would be of tremendous
> help. Thank
> you!
>
> Al Maxey
> "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than
> sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
> http://www.zianet.com/maxey
> http://www.zianet.com/maxey/CubaAve.htm
>
>
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