Sometimes looking at how a give noun is used to produce other words in a fascinating exercise. These are all from LSJM, though the glosses are modernized: μάχαιρα - knife/dagger μαχαιρᾶς - knife merchant μαχαιρίδιον - small knife μάχαιριον - shaving blade μαχαιρίς - butcher's knife μαχαιροδέτης - sword belt μαχαιροθήκη - knife case μαχαιροκ[οπέω]... Continue Reading →
The source of SOURCE Expressions: Embodiment
When we talk about prepositional meaning, we have focused on the usage of prepositions in constructional contexts. We have not talked about ἀπό or ἐκ meaning CAUSE, for example, but rather ἀπό and ἐκ being used in a CAUSE expressions. This is an important distinction.
Langacker on learning the meaning of words.
"For illustrative purposes, let us sketch a plausible (though simplistic) scenario for the evolution of a complex category. Consider a child in the process of learning the various senses (conventional usages) of the word tree, and suppose the term is first applied, in his early experience, to such ordinary specimens as oaks, maples, and elms.... Continue Reading →
Tyndale House Greek Prepositions Workshop
Today's the last day to book accommodations for the Greek Prepositions Workshop. So if you don't have your housing plans together and plan on joining us, you'll want to get that settled today! Tyndale House Workshop in Greek Prepositions: Cognitive Linguistic Approaches to Lexicography & Theology 30 June–1 July, 2017 From Workshop Website: About Students... Continue Reading →
The historical context of theological lexicons and James Barr
This excerpt is from my chapter, "Linguistic issues in Biblical Greek," in Lexham Methods: Linguistics & Exegsis. It's published digitally, but it will be appearing in print later this fall. Obviously, it's worth owning it in both formats! This a portion from the section on semantics: The nineteenth century represents the era in which lexical semantics began... Continue Reading →
I recently got an e-mail notification that Robert Beekes'* (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek has received quite a dramatic price drop on its Logos.com prepublication page (link). Going from over $500 downs down to a much more comfortable $105. This price change on the part of Logos.com moves their pricing from that of the hardcover edition's $550 (Amzon for... Continue Reading →
Review Part II: Porter (2015) Linguistic analysis of the Greek New Testament
Porter, Stanley. 2015. Linguistic analysis of the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. This review is a long time coming. I owe it to my readers for their generosity in helping my wife and I get to Cambridge for the Greek Verb Conference (The Greek Verb Revisited) in 2015. It's also a long... Continue Reading →
Review Part I: Porter (2015) Linguistic analysis of the Greek New Testament
Porter, Stanley. 2015. Linguistic analysis of the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. This review is a long time coming. I owe it to my readers for their generosity in helping my wife and I get to Cambridge for the Greek Verb Conference (The Greek Verb Revisited) in 2015. Part II of this... Continue Reading →
Diachronic Prototype Semantics
I got my hands on this little guy last week: Dirk Geeraerts' Diachronic Prototype Semantics: A Contribution to Historical Lexicography. It's an older volume--1997, but really insightful. Geeraerts knows the field of semantics and lexicology and its history with a depth and degree of thoughtfulness that the vast majority of us can only aspire to... Continue Reading →
