Re: Reduplication and Luke 1:27

From: Stephen C. Carlson (scarlson@mindspring.com)
Date: Fri Jan 16 1998 - 08:03:31 EST


At 10:57 1/16/98 +0000, Ken Litwak wrote:
>There is a variant listing for Luke 1:27of MEMNHSTEUMENHN. BDF 68 says
>the form EMNHSTEUMENHN is better but it doesn't say why. In general,
>before a consonant, I would expect the consonant to be duplicated in the
>perfect. Why is the form which begins with EM rather than MEM better?

The rule you cite is generally true for verbs beginning with a single
consonant or a stop + liquid (e.g., GRAFW); however, for verbs that
begin with two consonants, the prefix E- is used. Since MNHSTEUW
starts with MN- (a liquid + liquid), E- ought to be used. See Smyth
442b.

Smyth notes that MEMNHMAI from MIMNHiSKW is exceptional, and BDF indicates
that this form may have influenced the form of MEMNHSTEUMENHN.

>Please send responses to me privately as I am not a list subscriber.

Sent to you and the list.

>Thanks.

Stephen Carlson

--
Stephen C. Carlson                   : Poetry speaks of aspirations,
scarlson@mindspring.com              : and songs chant the words.
http://www.mindspring.com/~scarlson/ :               -- Shujing 2.35


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