Particle or not....

[Great Scott]

οὐδέποτε

Anyone think this is a particle or just a regular adverb?

[Markos]

I'd call it an adverb, not a particle, but you've got me thinking about what makes a particle a particle. A particle, depending on the context, can function as a conjunction or an adverb or maybe an adjective, but is there a rule that makes γε a particle and αληθῶς not one? Maybe they have to be one syllable or a combination of one syllable words, but I think I have seen ἀλλά considered a particle.

This question is sub-phonemic (that is, it has nothing to do with meaning) but you've got me curious.

ερρωσο

[cb]

hi, there's a good discussion of this question - what is a particle - in sicking and van ophuijsen's "Two studies in attic particle usage: Lysias & Plato", starting from pg 5; google books preview here:

http://books.google.fr/books?id=92uHytO2-yIC&pg=PA5

cheers, chad