Paul Danove, «Verbs of Transference and Their Derivatives of Motion and State in the New Testament: a Study of Focus and Perspective.», Vol. 19 (2006) 53-71
This article identifies 102 New Testament verbs that designate
transference and describes alternative usages of these verbs as derivates of
motion and state. The discussion first considers the manner in which verbs
grammaticalize the event of transference by assuming a particular focus
and perspective on its elements and by indicating the degree of affectedness
of the subject. The study then develops the usages of motion and state in
terms of the exclusion of elements of the event of transference and changes
in focus and perspective. A concluding discussion summarizes the results of
the investigation.
60 Paul Danove
Agent to function solely as a Source and raising the Goal to the status
of an Agent / Goal. This requires that the verb change its perspective
from active usage, in which the Agent is coincident with the Source, to
the middle usage, in which the Agent is co-directional with the Goal:
δανείζω (lend = transfer use to) / δανείζομαι (borrow = transfer use from
[for one’s benefit]). Thus, two of the verbs, δανείζω and á¼Î¾Î±Î¹Ïέω, appear
with the primary middle usage of Transference from a Source (#5 on
chart); and the remaining four verbs, ἀποδίδωμι, á¼Ï€Î¹Ï„ίθημι, παÏατίθημι,
and τίθημι, appear with the primary middle usage of Transference to a
Goal (#6 on chart).
Seven further verbs are restricted to the primary middle usage
of Transference to a Goal: ἀνατίθεμαι (present); á¼Ïμόζομαι (give in
marriage); δωÏέομαι (give); á¼ÎºÎ´á½·Î´Î¿Î¼Î±Î¹ (lease); Ï€Ïοσανατίθεμαi (put on,
add); ὑποτίθεμαι (place, give); and χαÏίζομαι ([for]give, bestow)12. These
verbs are inherently indirect and reflexive and always imply a dual focus
on the event of transference.
As with the active usages, the middle usages may appear with the
totally affected Theme as verbal subject. When this occurs, the verb uses
passive forms, which are distinct from middle forms only in the aorist
and future tenses. Contextual considerations indicate that the passive of
the middle usages is restricted to four occurrences of χαÏίζομαι in the
aorist and future tenses:
… so that we may know the things being given to us by God (1 Cor 2,12)
… ἵνα εἰδῶμεν Ï„á½° ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ χαÏισθέντα ἡμῖν.
2.3. Passive Transitive Usages of Transference
Fourteen verbs with (middle-)passive forms admit to an interpretation
of transference in which the subject is Agent. The occurrences constitute
“direct reflexive†usages of transference: “direct†because the Agent is
co-referential to another verbal argument, the Theme; and “reflexiveâ€
because the Agent is totally affected by the event13. Since the focus on
initiation in the active usages precludes the affectedness of the Agent,
these usages indicate a change in focus to include both the initiation and
termination of the event of transference. This dual focus maintains agentive
attributes of instigation and volition (initiation) and introduces the total
A middle correlate to the secondary active usages of Transference from a Source
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is impossible because the secondary active usage focuses solely on the initiation of the
event and excludes the Goal. This exclusion removes the possibility for accommodating the
affectedness of the Agent at the termination of the transference.
Direct reflexive middles receive investigation in Allan, Middle Voice, 88-95.
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