Biblical Greek Language and Linguistics

Book excerpt: This collection of essays brings together into one volume papers from the Society of Biblical Literature meetings in 1990 and 1991. This volume divides itself neatly into two sections. Part I, Verbal Aspect, includes two major presentations and responses on the topic of Greek verbal aspect. The subject is an important one, and one that promises not to go away in the next several years. If the proponents of the theory are correct, the semantic category of verbal aspect will prove vital to future analysis and exegesis of Greek, including that of the New Testament. Part II includes four substantial papers on various topics in Greek grammar and linguistics, including work on discourse analysis, construction grammar, the phrase as a constituent in Greek grammatical description and the possible Semitic origins of the finite verb with cognate participle. These interesting and varied essays are designed both to illustrate the current state of discussion of New Testament Greek grammar and to provide impetus for future research and publication.