Adjective Distribution

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jaihare
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Adjective Distribution

Post by jaihare »

I know that this forum hasn't been written on for a long, but I thought I would try to bring it back to life by asking a question about the textbook.

§64.6. πέλτας ἔχομεν καὶ μαχαίρας ἀγαθάς.
§132.1. ὄνοι ἄγριοι καὶ ἵπποι ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἦσαν.

In both of these examples, we have a single adjective and two nouns. My question is how we can determine whether the adjectives are distributed to both nouns or not. In the first example, are we talking about good shields and good swords/sabres, or are we talking about regular shields and good swords? In the second, are we talking about wild donkeys and wild horses, or are we talking about wild donkeys and non-wild horses?

Is there any syntax rule that would make this clear? Is there something about the placement of the adjective (for example, in the second, it follows the first noun, which might break it up – I'm just not sure)? How would you take each of these, and could you give a reference to point me in some direction on it?

Thanks!

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jaihare
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Re: Adjective Distribution

Post by jaihare »

NateD offered this to me by PM:

Source
Nor does the division seem sound and regular.—The conjunction between the two adjectives was rightly supplied by H. Stephens. The passage is partly in Greek, and has some obscurity; but is explained by one in Book XVI. chap. viii. where he says, that an axion is διεζευγμενον, the very word used here, is of this form: “Either pleasure is an evil, or a good, or neither good nor evil,” and this kind of distribution is very frequently used by Aristotle; and was common with writers of strict logical precision.
I want to think through how and if this applies to my question.

Any other suggestions?

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Re: Adjective Distribution

Post by Ξενοφάνης ὁ Βορήιος »

Δοκεῖ μοι μὴ εἶναι κανόνα περὶ τούτο, μεθερμηνεύσας γὰρ τοῦτο τὸ ἔπος καθ' ἕνα ῥῆμα ἐς πατρῷον μου ῥωσικὴν γλῶσσαν ἔλαβον ἔπος· дикие ослы и кони. Καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔπος λέγει ῥωσιστὶ ἄμφω καὶ wild donkeys and non-wild horses καὶ wild donkeys and wild horses.
Καὶ Βρεττανικῇ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν ἀκριβῶς, ἀναγνώσας τὸ wild donkeys and horses, πότερον οἱ ἵπποι ἄγριοί εἰσι ἢ οὔ;
I'm Russian-speaking and I learn both Ancient Greek and English, but I speak Greek better than English, so I write in Greek.
Ῥωσικὸς ὤν τῇ φωνῇ μανθάνω μὲν Ἑλληνικήν τε καὶ Βρεττανικὴν γλῶσσαν, ἐπίσταμαι δὲ τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν ἄμεινον, τούτου ἕνεκα ἑλληνιστὶ γράφω.
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Markos
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Re: Adjective Distribution

Post by Markos »

χαίρετε ὦ Ἰάσον καὶ Ἀκέμδωρ,
ἐρώτησεν ὁ Ἀκέμδωρ: Καὶ Βρεττανικῇ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν ἀκριβῶς, ἀναγνώσας τὸ wild donkeys and horses, πότερον οἱ ἵπποι ἄγριοί εἰσι ἢ οὔ;
οὐ μὲν δυνάμεθα, ἀλλὰ τὰ περιεχόμενα δηλοῖ, ὥσπέρ γε Ἑλληνιστί.

ἔρρωσθε

{ Hi, Jason and Akemdwr,
Alkemdwr asked: Καὶ Βρεττανικῇ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν ἀκριβῶς, ἀναγνώσας τὸ wild donkeys and horses, πότερον οἱ ἵπποι ἄγριοί εἰσι ἢ οὔ;
No, but the context generally makes this clear. I imagine it’s the same in Greek.

blessings }
οὐ μανθάνω γράφειν, ἀλλὰ γράφω τοῦ μαθεῖν.

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