Passing grammar notes: Aspect and grounding in narrative

Tense and aspect are central for narrative text. The perfective and imperfective aspect, particularly, are essential for how an author builds a narrative structure and signals to the reader the flow of the story.

Obscenity in Paul? The metaphorical usages

Herein, we come to the end of our discussion of the semantics of σκύβαλον and how it relates to English taboo words.

Σκύβαλον in agricultural contexts

This piece picks up from Obscenity in Paul? The Question of σκύβαλον, examining how the word σκύβαλον is used […]

Obscenity in Paul? The Question of σκύβαλον

Is there profanity in Paul? It’s sort of an old question. There’s a certain appeal to the idea for some perhaps and the fact that σκύβαλον can be glossed ‘dung’ or ‘manure’ likely encourages the possibility to extend its English rendering a little further.

Conclusion to “Greek Prohibitions” in GVR

With the great success from publication the The Greek Verb Revisited: A Fresh Approach for Biblical Exegesis now a couple years behind us and the great labor of writing, editing, rewriting and more editing all, but happy distant memory, it seems worthwhile to share the conclusion to the article I contributed to the volume.

I examined the question of Greek prohibitions and the much argued about expressions: stop doing X (imperfective aspect) and do not start X (perfective aspect). Traditionally these expressions are wholly associated their respective aspect verb form as motivation for their meanings, going back to journal articles from over 100 years ago. In my article, I put forward an alternative approach, suggesting that not also aspect, but also the nature of the negation itself plays a role in the how and why of these expressions.

So without further ado, enjoy:

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