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.
62 Paul Danove
Then placing a sponge full of wine by means of hyssop, they brought [and
put] [it] at his mouth (John 19,29)
σπόγγον οὖν μεστὸν τοῦ ὄξους ὑσσώπῳ πεÏιθέντες Ï€Ïοσήνεγκαν αá½Ï„οῦ
τῷ στόματι.
These considerations permit the formulation of the following descrip-
tive rule:
The required dative complement functions as a Goal when it is +ani-
mate and as a Locative when it is –animate20.
The +animate dative case noun phrase appears with an indefinite null
Theme complement on 19 occasions with eight verbs21. On these occa-
sions, the dative complement consistently functions as a Goal. Since the
+animate dative case noun phrase may appear with a ±animate Theme,
these occurrences conform to the proposed descriptive rule.
5. The εἰς Prepositional Phrase Required Complement (250 occurren-
ces)
The εἰς complement appears on 250 occasions with 45 verbs of trans-
ference: ἄγω (bring); αἴÏω (take up); ἀνάγω (bring up); ἀναλαμβάνω
(take up); ἀναφέÏω (bring up); ἀπάγω (lead away); ἀποδίδωμι (give
back); ἀπολύω (send away);ἀποστέλλω (send); ἀποφέÏω (lead away);
á¼Ïπάζω (take up); βάλλω (throw, put); βυθίζω (sink); δίδωμι (give);
á¼Î³ÎºÏύπτω (mix); εἰσάγω (bring to); εἰσφέÏω (lead to); á¼ÎºÎ²á½±Î»Î»Ï‰ (cast
out); á¼ÎºÏ€á½³Î¼Ï€Ï‰ (send out); á¼ÎºÏ†á½³Ïω (bring out); ἕλκω (drag); á¼Î¼Î²á½±Î»Î»Ï‰
(bring into); á¼Î¼Î²á½±Ï€Ï„ω (immerse); á¼Î¼Î²Î¹Î²á½±Î¶Ï‰ (put onboard); á¼Î¾á½±Î³Ï‰ (bring
Although M. Zerwick, Analysis Philologica Novi Testamenti Graeci (Rome 1966)
19
165, 258, interprets the function of the dative complements in Acts 2,22 and 5,31 as either
Instrument (the means by which an action is performed or something happens) or Locative,
the Locative interpretation is recommended by Blass, Greek Grammar, 107.
This descriptive rule coheres with classical usage in which the dative case noun phrase
20
may designate the personal [+animate] Goal / the impersonal [–animate] Locative: cf. Smyth,
Grammar, 351 (n. 1532 / 1534). The occurrences with –animate dative complements (Luke
20,20; 23,25; John 19,2.29; Acts 2,33; 5,31) also indicate that this use of the dative comple-
ment is not restricted to stereotyped expressions in the NT, as proposed in Blass, Greek
Grammar, 107.
The +animate dative complement with an indefinite null Theme (19 occurrences):
21
ἀνταποδίδωμι (1), Luke 14,14a; ἀποδίδωμι (8), Matt 6,4.6.18; 16,27; Rom 2,6; 2 Tim 4,14;
Rev 18,6; 22,12; δανείζω (1), Luke 6,34b; δίδωμι (4), Matt 5,42; Luke 6,30; 2 Cor 9,9; Rev
2,23; á¼Ï€Î¹Ï„ίθημι (1), Acts 18,10; πέμπω (2), Acts 11,29; Phil 4,16; Ï€Ïοδίδωμι (1), Rom 11,35;
Ï€Ïοσανατίθεμαι (1), Gal 1,16.
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