Paul Danove, «Distinguishing Goal and Locative Complements of New Testament Verbs of Transference.», Vol. 20 (2007) 51-66
This study develops a rigorous method for distinguishing the Goal or Locative function of dative case noun phrase and ei0j and pro/j prepositional phrase required complements of NT verbs that designate transference. The discussion examines the manner in which Greek verbs grammaticalize the event of transference and proposes a semantic feature, ±animate, which specifies whether the entity designated by the complement is or is not attributed with the characteristics of a living being. An investigation of all occurrences of the dative case, ei0j, and pro/j required verbal complements then permits a distinction in their function as either Goal or Locative based on their animacy. The study concludes with an investigation of the constraints that these verbs place on the interpretation of their required complements.
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Distinguishing Goal and Locative Complements of New Testament...
and as a Locative when it is –animate; and the +animate Ï€Ïός Goal comple-
ment appears only with a +animate Theme complement.
The required Ï€Ïός complement occurs with an indefinite null Theme
on eight occasions and only with verbs of sending (ἀποστέλλω and
πέμπω) ); and the Ï€Ïός complement functions as a Goal. In these oc-
currences, the Ï€Ïός complements designate Jesus (2) and human beings
(6) and so are +animate15. The verbs ascribe to the indefinite null Theme
complements the interpretation, “someone / something sentâ€; and the
descriptive rule restricts the interpretation of the Theme to +animate,
except in the context of an intruding grammatical principle. No such
intrusion is apparent in these eight occurrences16.
4. The Dative Case Noun Phrase Required Complement (587 occu-
rrences)
The dative complement appears on 587 occasions with 43 verbs of trans-
ference: ἄγω (bring); ἀνάγω (bring up); ἀναδίδωμι (deliver); ἀναπέμπω
(send up); ἀνατίθεμαι (present); ἀναφέÏω (bring up);ἀνταποδίδωμι
(repay, return); ἀντιμετÏέω (measure out); ἀποδίδωμι (give back);
ἀποκαθίστημι (restore); ἀπολύω (send away); ἀποστέλλω (send);
ἀποφέÏω (take away); βάλλω (throw); δανείζω (lend); διαβάλλω (bring
an accusation); διαδίδωμι (distribute); δίδωμι (give); διαιÏέω (appor-
tion); δωÏέομαι (give); á¼ÎºÎ´á½·Î´Î¿Î¼Î±Î¹ (lease); á¼Î¾Î±Ï€Î¿ÏƒÏ„έλλω (send out);
á¼Ï€á½±Î³Ï‰ (bring); á¼Ï€Î±á½·Ïω (raise); á¼Ï€Î¹Î²á½±Î»Î»Ï‰ (put onto); á¼Ï€Î¹Î´á½·Î´Ï‰Î¼Î¹ (yield,
deliver); á¼Ï€Î¹Ï„ίθημι (put onto, set onto); á¼Ï€Î¹Ï‡Î¿Ïηγέω (supply); κίχÏημι
(lend); μεταδίδωμι (impart); παÏαδίδωμι (hand over); παÏατίθημι (give,
distribute); πέμπω (send); Ï€Ïοδίδωμι (give first); Ï€Ïοσάγω (bring to);
Ï€Ïοσανατίθεμαι (add); Ï€Ïοστίθημι (add); Ï€ÏοσφέÏω (offer); σπείÏω
(sow); ὑποτίθεμαι (place); ὑψόω (raise up); ; φέÏω (bring); and χαÏίζομαι
(give). This discussion resolves the distribution of the Theme and dative
complements according to their animacy, develops a descriptive rule for
distinguishing Goal and Locative dative complements, and investigates the
contribution of occurrences with indefinite null Theme complements.
The +animate Ï€Ïός complement with an indefinite null Theme (8 occurrences):
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ἀποστέλλω (6), Matt 27,19; Mark 3,31; John 5,33; 11,3; Acts 11,30; 13,15); πέμπω (2),
Acts 10,33; 19,31.
The previous narrative supports the interpretation that the indefinite null Theme is
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+animate in John 5,33: “You sent [someone] to John, and he has testified to the truth†(á½Î¼Îµá¿–Ï‚
ἀπεστάλκατε Ï€Ïὸς Ἰωάννην, καὶ μεμαÏÏ„á½»Ïηκεν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ). Here Jesus’ dialogue part-
ners are the Jews, who, in John 1,19, sent priests and Levites to John who gave testimony.
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