Can a masculine (or feminine) adjective functioning substantivally be translated as a concept, or only a person? For instance, could αγαθος be translated as “good” or “goodness” if the context allows, or must it be rendered “a good man/one”?
Hi,
The masculine | feminine substantive adjectives typically refer to a person. But the person could be idealized, e.g., [size=150]ὁ σοφός[/size] can mean ‘the wise man’ without reference to a particular individual.
Without the article this example would mean simply ‘a wise man’.
See Smyth’s Grammar, 1021-1029.
Cordially,
Paul