From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Sun Nov 18 2001 - 12:01:43 EST
GINOMAI is one of 30 verbs in the GNT that have aorist tense-forms in BOTH
the "middle-passive" (MHN/SO/TO) AND the "passive" (-QH-) morphoparadigms.
This verb is, it seems to me, in its very essential meaning of "becoming"
or "coming into being" or "being transformed into", the "Inbegriff" or
"epitome" of the AMBIVALENCE of middle and passive voices that accounts
for the fact that a differentiation of middle and passive form appears only
in TWO of the ancient Greek verb's tenses--and my contention is that it is
questionable if that differentiation is really there even in those two
tenses. This is the first of two parts of a report on my own analysis of
and observations regarding the data on aorist "MP" and "Passive" verb-forms
in the GNT.
In the course of the past weeks I've been discussing with interested
parties my view that
(a) "deponency" (in the sense that verbs with present tenses only in the MP
morphoparadigm (-OMAI) are deemed exceptions to the normal semantic
functions of the middle and passive in certain tenses, especially the
aorist and future) is a term and concept long overdue for the rubbish bin;
and
(b) that the -QH- morphoparadigms of the aorist and future tenses, although
they often, perhaps more often than not, indicate a semantic passive
function of the verb-form in question, are NOT ESSENTIALLY passive in
semantic function so much as ambivalent in the same way that the MP
morphoparadigms (MAI/SAI/TAI; MHN/SO/TO) are ambivalent: a verb-form in
either of these two morphoparadigms may be semantically middle or
semantically passive (or even, as is often the case, semantically
intransitive); whether in fact a particular verb-form bears one or another
of these semantic functions depends partly upon the nature of the verb
itself and partly on context.
In the course of our discussions, the proposition has been asserted anew,
especially by Ward Powers, that the "MP" and "Passive" morphoparadigms DO
essentially mark semantic distinctions between "middle" and "passive" sense
in the aorist and future tenses, and that the so-called "deponent" verbs
are to be understood simply as exceptions to this clear grammatical
categorization. In fact, however, as I have endeavored to show, there are
really VERY FEW verbs in the GNT database that are to be found in BOTH the
"MP" and the "Passive" morphoparadigms. Most recently, in a message dated
Sun, 28 Oct 2001 18:12:30 -0500 with subject-header, "[b-greek] Aorist:
middle vs. passive verb forms in GNT" I listed figures for what I said were
the 18 verbs displaying verb-forms in both MP and P morphoparadigms. After
rechecking the data carefully, I now find that there are 30 (THIRTY) such
verbs with forms in both aorist morphoparadigms (I'll discuss the future
"mp" and "p" data later; they are not really so revealing as these
regarding the aorist forms). I'll list them here summarily in paragraph
form showing numbers of MP and P forms for each:
AGALLIAW (4mp,1p); ANAIREW (1mp,3p); ANATREFW (1mp,1p); APODIDWMI (3mp,2p);
APOKRINOMAI (7mp,213p); APOLOGEOMAI (1mp,1p); ASFALIZW (3mp,1p); BAPTIZW
(2mp,32p); GINOMAI (447mp,45p); DIALEGOMAI (2mp,1p); DIAMERIZW (2mp,2p);
DIATASSW (3mp,3p); EKTIQHMI (1mp,1p); EMBRIMAOMAI (2mp,1p); ENDUW
(18mp,1p); EPIKALEW (7mp,4p); QEAOMAI (16mp,3p); IAOMAI (5mp,10p);
KATALAMBANW (3mp,1p); LUTROW (1mp,1p); MERIZW (1mp,6p); METAPEMPW (mp7,p1);
MWMAOMAI (1mp,1p); hORAW (root OP-) (1mp,23p); PROSTIQHMI (3mp,5p); hRUOMAI
(6mp,4p); SULLAMBANW (2mp,2p); SFRAGIZW (2mp,2p); TIQHMI (16mp,9p);
CARIZOMAI (10mp,3p)
Some of the above have already been discussed in this forum; I intend later
to make another summary observation on the entire group and what I think
these figures (and more importantly, an examination of the
usage-in-contexts of the verb-forms represented by them) really mean about
the morphoparadigms and their essential functions. Now I want to look more
closely at just one of these verbs, GINOMAI.
As noted above GINOMAI is found 492x in the aorist tense in the GNT, 447x
in the "middle-passive" morphoparadigm, 45x in the "passive" -QH- forms.
The question I want to pose and attempt to answer here is WHETHER THERE IS
ANY DISTINCTION OF MEANING OR SEMANTIC FUNCTION BETWEEN THE "MIDDLE" FORMS
AND THE "PASSIVE" FORMS.
BDF note (p. 42, #78) review the figures on EGENOMHN and EGENHQHN in the
diffferent GNt documents including differences in the MSS and note: "The
papyri and LXX also have EGENHQHN in addition to the more frequent
EGENOMHN. Pre'vot, loc.cit.90-93 wants to carry out extensively in the NT a
distinction between EGENETO 'was, happened, occurred' and EGENHQH 'became,
was done.'" I don't have access to Pre'vot's work, but although I can
discern in some instances of EGENHQHN more of a passive sense, I find the
same sense exemplified in forms of EGENOMHN. I will argue that what we
should recognize in these figures is concurrent and competing forms of this
verb with the same meanings and semantic functions in both voice
morphoparadigms; the EGENOMHN forms are older and are in the early phase of
being supplanted by the EGENHQHN forms.
It has been argued and may very well be true that the distinction such as
Ward Powers insists upon in the meaning and semantic functions of ELUOMHN
and ELUQHN once in earlier Attic Greek really did exist and can be
demonstrated to have existed (although my perspective is diachronic, I have
concerned myself with evidence at present only from the GNT since the tools
for that research are more readily available to me where I am currently
located).
I should note that I have found one interesting passage in Plato's dialogue
Parmenides wherein both verb-forms are found together, apparently with a
distinction between the "middle" and the "passive"--in this instance in the
future tense. In a discussion of how "the One" is wholly removed from
participation in time and temporal change, At 141d-e Parmenides asks
Socrates, TO HN KAI TO GEGONE KAI TO EGIGNETO OU CRONOU MEQEXIN DOKEI
SHMAINEIN TOU POTE GEGONOTOS? and Socrates agrees. Then he asks TI DE? TO
ESTAI KAI TO GENHSETAI KAI TO GENHQHSETAI OU TOU EPEITA? and Socrates again
assents. The Loeb translator, Shorey, renders this as: ""Well, and do not
the words 'was,' 'has become,' and 'was becoming' appear to denote
participation in past time?" "Certainly." "And 'will be,' 'will become,'
and 'will be made to become,' in future time?" "Yes." We shall have to say
that this text certainly implies that a distinction of semantic and
function was recognized by Plato as potentially present in the two
morphoparadigms, although I think further exploration of usage of
EGENHQHN/GENHQHSOMAI in the classical era would be needed to establish that
this was a regularly-observed distinction. Surely what Plato is attempting
here is to offer an exhaustive list of possible ways of expressing
participation in time.
As an aid to my endeavor to sort out any distinctive "middle" and "passive"
semantics to be associated with the MP EGENOMHN and the P EGENHQHN forms in
the GNT, I've considered both L&N and BDAG. Although L&N organizes the
semantic values for GINOMAI in a fashion different from that employed by
BDAG, the overlap of categories is clearly there. I want to set forth the
BDAG listing (abbreviated, of course) and comment briefly on semantic
"middle" or "passive" functions in each instance. If anyone is reading this
and is really interested, I would really welcome alternative perspectives
on this in particular.
==============
GINOMAI BDAG: A verb with numerous nuances relating to being and manner of
being. Its contrast to the more static term EIMI can be seen in Kaibel 595,
5 OUK HMHN KAI EGENOMHN = "I was not and then i came to be (cp. Ath. 4, 2
in 3 below).
(1) To come into being through process of birth or natural production, be
born, be produced [CWC comment: I'd mark this sense as MIDDLE, noting at
the same time that it is wrong to suppose that conscious and deliberate
participation of the subject is essential to the meaning of the semantic;
in fact the subject may play the role of the "patient" or "experiencer"
without at all being aware of or directing the action or state indicated by
the verb.]
(2) To come into existence, be made, be created be manufactured, be
performed [CWC comment: I'd mark this sense as authentically PASSIVE,
certainly to the extent that an occurrence is deemed not simply to take
place spontaneously but providentially or by act of the creator. And yet
there are some subcategories of this BDAG sense that seem to me to be
MIDDLE rather than passive. I'll comment on each.]
(a) gen, hO GEGONEN (Jn 1:13c w/ DIA TINOS; w/ EK TINOS Hb 11:3, hUPO TINOS;
Of commands, instructions be fulfilled, performed; Of institutions, be
established [PASSIVE]
(b) w/ mention of the special nature of an undertaking: hINA hOUTWS
GENHTAI EN
EMOI [PASSIVE, insofar as divine providence is understood as active
here.]
(3) come into being as an event or phenomenon from a point of origin,
arise, come about, develop [CWC comment: I'd mark this sense as MIDDLE; it
seems to me that this and its subcategories are derivative from sense (1)
above; all are occurrences that are "natural", although obviously EGENETO
of a voice coming from heaven might be understood as passive.]
(a) of events or phenomena in nature: lightning, thunder, calm, a cloud,
earthquake, darkness, dawn
(b) of other occurrences: complaining, persecution, oppression,
discussion, tumult, sound, weeping, clamor, famine, sharp
contention, tear
(in a garment), silence, concourse, confusion; shout, loud voice,
astonishment, joy, prayer, offering
(c) of the various divisions of a day: hWRA, OYIA, PRWIA, NUX
(4) to occur as process or result, happen, turn out, take place [CWC
comment: It seems to me that all these are really ambivalent: some
occurrences may be said to "come to pass" while others may be said to be
"brought to pass"; many of these are derivative from the LXX and are
notable Hebraisms, as is most obviously subcategory (f).]
(a) gen. TOUTO hOLON GEGONEN, hEWS AN PANTA GENHTAI, PANTA TA GENOMENA
(b) w/ dat. of person affected
a. w/ inf. foll. HOPWS MH GENHTAI AUTWi CRONOTRIBHSAI;
b. w/ adv. or adv. phrase added: KATA THN PISTIN hUMWN GENHQHTW hUMIN
c. w/ nom. of thing: GINETAI TINI TI: something happens to/befalls a person
(c) w/ gen. of pers. TON THS hELENHS GEGENHMENON hORMON
(d) GINETAI TI EPI TINI something happens in the case or/to a person
(e) w/ inf. foll, to emphasize the actual occurrence of the acion denoted by
the verb: EAN GENHTAI hEUREIN AUTO
(f) KAI EGENETO periphrastic like yHi with W' foll to indicte the progress of
the narrative; it is followed by either a conjunction like hOTE
etc., or a
gen. abs., or a prepositional constr., and joined to it is a finite
verb
w/ KAI
(5) to experience a change in nature and so indicate entry into a new
condition, become something [CWC comment: I rather think these are
ambivalent: all have the essential sense of "become/turn into"; a few are
PASSIVE as POIHSW hUMAS GENESQAI hALIEIS ANQRWPW, and yet POIHSW seems
required here to clarify that this "becoming" is brought about by Jesus;
often there is conscious or deliberate participation by the subject-patient
or subject-experiencer, which points to MIDDLE sense.]
(a) w/ nouns: QEOS EGENOU EX ANQRWPOU; hOPWS GENHSQE hUIOI TOU PATROS
hUMWN; POIHSW hUMAS GENESQAI hALIEIS ANQRWPWN
(b) used w/ an adj. to paraprase the passive: PANTWN hUPOCEIRIWN GENOMENWN;
APEIQH GENESQAI; DOKIMON GENESQAI
(c) w/ EN of a state of being: EN EKSTASEI GENESQAI; EN FOBWi, TROMWi, EN
PONOIS, EN CRISTWi GENESQAI
(6) to make a change of location in space, move [CWC comment: most of these
seem pretty clearly MIDDLE: they are like POREUOMAI and involve conscious
and deliberate participation of the agent in the movement. On the other
hand, two or three of the subcategories may be PASSIVE in the appropriate
context.]
(a) EIS TI; EIS hIEROSOLUMA, EIS TON AGRON, EIS TA EQNH
(b) EK TINOS; GENESQAI EK MESOU: be removed (Lat.e medio tolli) [PASSIVE]
(c) EPI TI: EPI TO MNHMEION; EPI TOUS ANQRWPOUS; GENOMENOS EPI TOU TOPOU:
when
he had arrived at the place
(d) w/ KATA and gen. of place: TO GENOMENON hRHMA KAQ' hOLHS THS
IOUDAIAS: the
message that has spread throughout all Judea
(e) w/ PROS and acc. of the direction and goal; of divine instructions: be
given to someone [PASSIVE when of the coming of God's word to a person]
(f) w/ SUN and the dat., join someone
(g) w/ EGGUS
(h) w/ hWDE come here
(i) EMPROSQEN TINOS GENESQAI
(7) to come into a certain state or possess certain charaxcteristics, to
be, prove to be, turn out to be: GINESQE FRONIMOI; AKARPOS GINETAI; TINI
MAQHTHN GENESQAI; TI GINETAI TINI TI a thing results in something for
someone; hOSIWS KAI DIKAIWS KAI AMEMPTWS hUMIN EGENHQHMENA [CWC comment: it
seems to me that this is essentially MIDDLE--insofar as subject
participation as patient or experiencer is involved. I've not been able in
some texts to differentiate this clearly from sense (5); perhaps here the
outcome or transformation is viewed as a result of process or deliberate
action rather than as an experience of new status achieved.]
(8) to be present at a given time, be there [CWC comment: this seems pretty
clearly MIDDLE.]
(9) to be closely related to someone or something, belong to, hence exist
[CWC: I think all the subcategories are pretty clearly MIDDLE.]
(a) w/ gen. of the possessor
(b) w/ dat. of person: belong to someone
(c) w/ prep. META TINOS: hOI MET' AUTOU GENOMENOIS
(d) Here perhaps belongs IDIAS EPILUSEWS OU GINETAI: it is not a matter of
private interpretation [CWC comment: like French "il s'agit de ..." or
German "es handelt sich um ..."]
(10) to be in or at a place, be in, be there [CWC comment: is this really
significantly different from sense (8)? This and (8) both seem to me to be
instances of GINOMAI serving in the aorist for EIMI, which has no aorist.
These are unquestionably MIDDLE]
(a) EN TINI to designate one's present or future place of residence:
ANTWNIOS
EN EFESWi GENOMENOS
(b) w/ adv.: EKEI, KATA MONAS
--
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
Most months: 1647 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cwconrad@ioa.com
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
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