periphrastic pluperfect

Greek Learning Greek
1

I’m working my way a little at a time through Lysias’ [size=150] (υπὲρ τοῦ )ερατοσθένους φόνου ἀπολογία

2

a couple of hints from Wallace (“Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics”, focused on NT)

pluperfect periphrastic = eimi in the indicative + a perfect participle

“the periphrastic constructions often resemble an imperfect more than an aorist in translation.”

it gives a couple of NT examples too, that I can post if you’re interested.

3

Yes, please. If no-one objects to Koine in a classic thread. ;D

4

Hi Bingley:

Goodwin’s Greek Grammar has a little bit to say about this. Here’s a link to the index to find everything in the grammar about periphrastic forms:

http://montgomery.cas.muohio.edu/textkit/WWG_greek_grammar.pdf#page=483

And of course Smyth has a lot to say about this topic. His grammar is coming…

I didn’t see the periphrastic pluperfect covered in Goodwin but it is covered in Smyth.

jeff

5

Goodwin section 448 mentions that where the third person plural ending for the pluperfect indicative middle/passive -[size=150]ντο

6

[size=150]συνειθισμένον

7

Hi,

[size=150]συνειθισμένον

8

Does he give any clues as to whether it’s a stylistic thing, totally random, or imparts some particular nuance?

9

Hi,

For pluperfect indicative active, Smyth does say that the periphrastic forms denote a state rather than an action.

But he’s mum about the pluperfect passive.

Cordially,

Paul

10

Right, thanks for that everyone.