From: Edgar M. Krentz (emkrentz@mcs.com)
Date: Tue Jan 23 1996 - 09:52:23 EST
I agree with Carlton below, with one possible historical footnote.
Historical grammar is not always without relevance. Prepositions, according
to one theory, originated as particles to clarify the meaning already
inherent in the cases used. That might be what leads to some difficulty in
understanding them in Hellenistic-Roman period Greek.
Carl might have a comment or two to add to my oversimplified statement above.
>
>I must agree with most of what Alan has said. Prepositions are difficult
>to deal with in almost any language and Greek is not exception. I would
>express my feeling that in the Hellenistic period the use of prepositions
>was in a state of transition. I tend to think that prepositions do not
>have dictionary meanings but must be dealt with as functions and indicators
>in the language.
Edgar Krentz, New Testament
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
1100 East 55th Street
Chicago, IL 60615
Tel.: 312-256-0752; (H) 312-947-8105
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