Predicate Adjectives

Greek Koine and Biblical and Medieval Greek
1

I am studying the love chapter - 1st Corinthians 13. In verses 4 - 8, I have read that, in English grammar most(not all), of the words used to talk about love are predicate adjectives. But Paul, in the Greek, uses verbs. In other words, Paul doesn’t tell what love is, but what love does.

My question is this: what is the difference between a predicate adjective and a regular adjective? I know that an adjective describes. Does the term “predicate adjective” mean that the adjective is merely found in the predicate part of the sentence? or does it have a different function than just an adjective?

Thanks for all your help. Appreciate it.

2

Smyth explains predicate and attributive adjectives in Greek as follows:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0007%3Asmythp%3D910

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0007%3Asmythp%3D911

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0007%3Asmythp%3D912

Predicate adjectives in English are similar.

3

Thanks, Qimmik. Appreciate it.