LESSON EIGHT: FIRST DECLENSION NOUNS. lawlessness, wickedness (νοµος is law) ἀντιχριστος anti-christ beginning, origin

Transcript

1 LESSON EIGHT: FIRST DECLENSION NOUNS Memorization of Vocabulary eight ἀλαζονεια pride, arrogance ἀληθεια truth ἀκουω I hear ἁµαρτια sin ἀνοµια lawlessness, wickedness (νοµος is law) ἀντιχριστος anti-christ ἀρχη beginning, origin βιος life, livelihood γινωσκω I know γραφω I write διδαχη teaching, instruction, what is taught δοξα glory ἐπιθυµια lust (in negative context, otherwise neutral word desire) ἐρχοµαι I come, I go ζωη life ἡµερα day θανατος death κοσµος world (both in a neutral sense and ethically as evil system) λαµβανω I take, receive µη not - same as ου below but used with moods other than the indicative. When emphasis is needed, µητι is used Ιησους Jesus (accusative is Ιησουν and then genitive, dative, and vocative share the form Ιησου) ὁτι that (other uses of ὁτι are because [causal use] and to introduce quotation (referred to as ὁτι recitative and normally followed by word beginning with capital letter) νεανιας young man ὁ, ἡ, το article the in masculine, feminine, and neuter forms οὑ not (also written ουκ [before vowel], ουχ [before rough breathing] and ουχι [when emphasis is needed]. Used with indicative mood. For other moods, see µη above. ὁφθαλµος eye πλανη deceit ποιεω I do, make προφητης prophet σκοτια darkness σωτηρια salvation τεκνον child τελειοω I make perfect υἱος son 1

2 ὑπαγω φανεροω φιλος I go, go one s way, go away I reveal, make known, manifest friend (formed from φιλεω - I love) A. Introduction As said above, the study of the Greek noun is easier when one begins with second declension (lesson seven) followed by first declension, and then finishing with third declension. Our focus now is the first declension nouns. These are predominantly feminine. There are few masculine nouns, but no neuter. Its study, therefore, falls into feminine forms and masculine forms only B. The forms. 1. Feminine noun forms The feminine forms fall into three sub-categories: nouns ending in -α, nouns ending in -η, and nouns shifting between α and η. The observable principles seem to be that: a. With stem ending in ε, ι, or ρ, like ἡµερα (day) below, the nominative singular ends in long α and this is retained in all the five singular forms (using five case approach 1 ) of the noun. Note that the plurals are the same for the three words used to illustrate the three groups (that is, words ending in ε, ι, or ρ - see below) b. With the stem ending in a letter other than σ, λλ, and the three double consonants (ζ,ξ,ψ), like ὰρχη (beginning) below, the nominative singular ends in η and is retained in all five singular forms of the noun. Note that the plurals are the same for the three words used to illustrate the three groups. c. With the stem ending in the five letters mentioned as exceptions in no. b above (σ, λλ, ζ, ξ, ψ) like δοξα (glory) below, the nominative singular ends with a short α and this changes to η in the genitive and dative singular. Note that the plurals are the same for the three words used to illustrate the three groups. Thus: a. Feminine nouns retaining α in all the singular forms (vocab. form ends with long α) 1 By five case approach, we mean nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, and vocative. This is in relation to eight case approach that would treat under the genitive form ablative also, and under the dative form instrumental and locative. Under the five case approach, the focus is on the form. These other usages are studied under function of the cases. 2

3 Model nouns for this group of nouns include ἡµερα (day, see Wenham, p. 41; Duff, p. 37; Jay, p. 27; Kubo, p. 19) and βασιλεια (kingdom, see Summers, p. 23),. Its forms are: Nominative ἡµερα ἡµεραι (day, days) Accusative ἡµεραν ἡµερας (day, days) Genitive ἡµερας ἡµερων (of day, of days) Dative ἡµερᾳ ἡµεραις (to, for day/days) Vocative ἡµερα ἡµεραι (day! days!) (note iota subscript in dative singular) b. Feminine nouns retaining -η in all the singular forms. A good example of this is ἀρχη (beginning, Wenham, p. 39; Duff, p. 36) or γραφη (writing, see Summers, 24; Kubo, 19) Nominative ὰρχη ὰρχαι (beginning, beginnings) Accusative ὰρχην ὰρχας (beginning, beginnings) Genitive ὰρχης ὰρχων (of beginning, of beginnings) Dative ὰρχῃ ὰρχαις (to, for beginning/beginnings) Vocative ὰρχη ὰρχαι (beginning! beginnings!) c. Feminine nouns with a shifting between α and η (basically, α found in the nominative and accusative singular and η in the genitive and dative singular; with no variation in the plural). Good example of this is δοξα (See Wenham, p. 41; Duff, p. 37; Kubo, p. 19; Summers, p. 24; Jay, p. 27) or γλωσσα (tongue, language, see Summers, p. 24). The forms of δοξα are: Nominative δοξα δοξαι (glory, glories) Accusative δοξαν δοξας (glory, glories) Genitive δοξης δοξων (of glory, of glories) Dative δοξῃ δοξαις (to, for glory/glories) Vocative δοξα δοξαι (glory! glories!) 2. Masculine noun forms a. These fall in two categories, seemingly guided by the principle: A masculine noun in first declension whose stem ends in ε, ι, and ρ (cf. the first category of feminine nouns above no. a) will have as its nominative singular ending with ας (as νεανιας below; the α is long) while a noun whose stem ends 3

4 in any other way (like προφητης below) will have its nominative singular end in ης b. A common example of masculine nouns ending in ης is προφητης (see Wenham, pp ; Duff pp ; Summers, p. 25; Jay, p. 27; Kubo, p. 22). Another common word is µαθητης (disciple). Within the list also are κλεπτης (thief), στρατιωτης (soldier), τελωνης (publican) and also Ιορδανης (Jordan) and Ιωανης (John) The forms of προφητης are: Nominative προφητης προφηται (prophet, prophets) Accusative προφητην προφητας (prophet, prophets) Genitive προφητου προφητων (of prophet, of prophets) Dative προφητῃ προφηταις (to, for prophet/prophets) Vocative προφητα προφηται (prophet! prophets!) c. A common example of a masculine nouns ending in ας is νεανιας (young man, see Wenham, p. 43; Kubo, p. 22; Jay, p. 27). The title Μεσσαιας and Ανδρεας follow this pattern. The forms of νεανιας are: Nominative νεανιας νεανιαι (young man, young men) Accusative νεανιαν νεανιας (young man, young men) Genitive νεανιου νεανιων (of young man, of young men) Dative νεανιᾳ νεανιαις (to, for young man/young men) Vocative νεανια νεανιαι (young man! young men!) Notes: 1. The endings of the plural form for the five different words (whether feminine or masculine) are the same. They are αι, ας, ων, αις, and αι for plurals in nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, and vocative, respectively. 2. For the ηµερα category of nouns, the form ηµερας is shared by the genitive singular and the accusative plural. When the words are used with the article (see next lesson), however, the article helps us in knowing which of the two is meant. 3. The singular column just needs careful observation. The endings αν or ην are for accusative, ης or ου for genitive, ᾳ or ῃ for the dative etc. 4. It is very important to memorize the vocabulary. In this way, we would know that while αρχης is genitive (from αρχη) προφητης is not since that is the vocabulary (nominative) form. 4

5 Exercise eight Translate the following and make any observations you find helpful 1. λογος ζωης 2. ποιοῦµεν ἀληθειαν 3. ἀγαπη θεου λαµβανει τεκνα 4. οὐ φιλει ἐπιφυµιαν ὀφθαλµου, ἀλαζονειαν βιου, πλανην λογου και σκοτιαν 5. ἠκουσατε ὁτι πλανᾳ ἀντιχριστος 6. ἁµαρτιαν και ἐπιθυµιαν ποιει 7. ἐγραψα λογους θανατου και σωτηριας 8. θεον γινωσκει φιλος Ιησου 9. λαµβανει τεκνον και ὑπαγει 10. τεκνα ποιει ἀληθειαν Samuel M. Ngewa Africa International University 5