Re: Neither here nor there.

Raymond Brown sikayal:

> ...and in fact in ancient Greek _entautha_ or its near synonym _enthade_ do
> contrast with _ekei_, i.e. there is at least a two-way split.  The latter
> decidedly shows distance and means only _there_ or _yonder_.
This is true--Greek *does* distinguish between near and far, but it
divides them differently than English does.

> _eimi_ tends to be used as the future of the horribly suppletive* verb
> _ekrhomai_ (I come/go). Indeed, _eimi_ is cognate with the Latin _eo, ire_.
> It is true that in Homer & very early Greek texts the verbs are used of
> motion either towards or away from the speaker.  This usage cerainly
> continues well into the Classical period, as Jesse says.  But the meaning
> was made clear by other means, e.g. use compound verbs and the use of cases
> whereby:
> prep. + accusative - motion towards
> prep. + genitive - motion from
> (prep. + dative - no motion)
Or by prefixing prepositions, giving the forms:
aperkhomai - to go away (apo "away from" + erkhomai)
ekserkhomai - to go out (eks "out of" + erkhomai)

Oddly enough, I can't think of any word that means "to go towards" or "to
come," unless its *eiserkhomai, but I doubt that such a word actualy
occurs.  Which probably explains the following:

> But as the Classical period advances, the more specific meaning "come"
> seems to start predominating.  I believe that in Hellenistic Greek,
> _erkhomai_ is used solely with the meaning "I come"; certainly that is the
> only meaning of _erkhomai_ /'erxome/ in modern Greek (where preps.,
> whatever their meaning, take the acc. only).
This makes much sense.  Since prepositioned forms could easily take over
the meanings of "leave" or "go", the plain form could mean "come."  What
is the Modern Greek verb for "to leave"?  A reflex of "aperkhomai", or
perhaps a reflex of "apoknumi"?



Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu

"If you look at a thing nine hundred and ninety-nine times, you are
perfectly safe; if you look at it the thousandth time, you are in
frightful danger of seeing it for the first time."
--G.K. Chesterton

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