Grammatical case in the text of Revelation 4 and 5
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Date
2003
Authors
Riekert, S. J. P. K.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State
Abstract
English: It is generally assumed that the Greek case system does not function in the usual
way in the book of Revelation. Using the distinction between abstract Case and
morpho-phonological case one can reconsider the use of case in Revelation in the
light of the development in case markings, including new morpho-phonological
realisations of certain participles.
The Greek grammar of Revelation is generally considered as very remarkable,
peculiar and foreign to the language system itself (cf. Swete [1908] 1968:
cxxv; Charles 1915:79; Thompson 1985:2-7, 106-108; Dougherty 1992:1-
33 and Musser 1992:1). The use of cases is typical of this remarkable language
usage (cf. Bousset [1906] 1966:159, 163; Swete [1908] 1968:cxxiii;
Charles 1915:83-4, 86, 89-90; [1920] 1971:clii-iv; Mussies 1980:167;
Dougherty 1992:7, 10).
If the so-called “foreign” usage of morphological case in Revelation were
considered in the framework of the Case sub-theory of the Government-
Binding (GB) Theory of Chomsky, one would have a better mechanism whereby
to decide whether the “foreign” usage is truly “foreign”. The Government-
Binding Theory propagates the view that the totality of the formulated
rules and principles regarding language comprises the grammar of a language
(Chomsky 1991:417). The grammar as an interdependent system of
rules and principles provides the basis for the grammatical sentences of a
language. One should therefore be able to distinguish between sentences
and non-sentences, as well as between well-constructed sentences and nonwell-
constructed sentences. One should therefore be able to obtain an
observationally adequate description (Radford 1981:25,26; 1988:27-30, cf.
Botha 1982:26-7; Haegeman 1991:5). There is, however, one aspect that
restricts our search for a descriptive adequate formulation, namely the lack
of mother-tongue intuitions that could give us guidance regarding the grammaticality
and acceptability of constructions in the Greek text (cf. Riekert
1985:26; Haegeman 1991:6-8).
Description
Keywords
New Testament Grammar, Grammatical case, Revelation 4-5
Citation
Riekert, S. J. P. K. (2003). Grammatical case in the text of Revelation 4 and 5. Acta Theologica, 23(2), 183-200.