scenarios - packages & wrappers
scenario internal structure - packages & wrappers
R.A. Hoyle in appendix F [1] once again provides evidence for his claim that participle clauses belong to the scenario of the main verb. I am exploring another way of looking at this. Narrative scenarios appear to have an internal structure which could explained using a “package” metaphor. In NT greek a narrative episode is often preceded by a participle which provides either time, place or circumstances in regard to the following finite verb. This participle might be thought of as a “wrapper” serving as part of a “package” that contains the scenario. This participle does not always bind semantically to the scenario of the following finite verb. In some cases it binds to the preceding scenario. Take for example Mk 5:1-2:
Mark 5:1 Καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γερασηνῶν. 2 καὶ ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου εὐθὺς ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἄνθρωπος ἐν πνεύματι ἀκαθάρτῳ,
The participle clause ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου marks the termination of a travel by boat scenario. The fact that Jesus had just got out of the boat onto the land doesn’t play a major role in the following scenario. Jesus could have arrived by other means at this location without disturbing the following scenario. On the other hand, getting off the boat is a prototypical end “wrapper” for a travel by boat scenario. Mk 5:1-5:2a serves a double purpose. It terminates the preceding scenario and it provides time and location information for the following scenario. If we think of scenarios as packages, Mk 5:1-5:2a is the end wrapper for the travel by boat scenario. The wrapper for the travel by boat scenario is found in Mk 4:35b and 5:2a. The scenario wrapper begins with the decision to travel by boat Mk 4:35b διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πέραν and ends with the statement that Jesus disembarked Mk 5:2a καὶ ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου.
Mark 4:35 Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὀψίας γενομένης· διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πέραν. 36 καὶ ἀφέντες τὸν ὄχλον παραλαμβάνουσιν αὐτὸν ὡς ἦν ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ, καὶ ἄλλα πλοῖα ἦν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.
Mark 5:1 Καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γερασηνῶν. 2 καὶ ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου εὐθὺς ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἄνθρωπος ἐν πνεύματι ἀκαθάρτῳ,
The wrapper in the travel by boat scenario is semantically closely associated with the situation represented in the scenario. This isn’t always true. Mk 5:1-2a also provides a time and place for the scenario that follows. But it doesn’t matter much how Jesus arrived when he was confronted by the demoniac. It is not crucial to the story that he arrived by boat. If we define a generic story episode scenario as having a wrapper which may provide time, location and circumstances, then the scenario within the wrapper can be though of as a subordinate scenario contained by the story episode scenario. In other words, the healing of the demoniac is a scenario contained within a story episode wrapper which makes it a sort of package. The package wrapper may not always be semantically tightly bound with the scenario inside. The wrapper has a narrative discourse function. It links the episodes together by place, time and circumstance.
[1]appendix F “Evidence That Greek Participial Clauses Belong in the Main Verb’s Scenario” page 523ff, but see also pages 100, 254, 255 and qualifications of this claim on pages 122, 136. Richard A. Hoyle, Scenarios, discourse and translation. SIL 2008
R.A. Hoyle in appendix F [1] once again provides evidence for his claim that participle clauses belong to the scenario of the main verb. I am exploring another way of looking at this. Narrative scenarios appear to have an internal structure which could explained using a “package” metaphor. In NT greek a narrative episode is often preceded by a participle which provides either time, place or circumstances in regard to the following finite verb. This participle might be thought of as a “wrapper” serving as part of a “package” that contains the scenario. This participle does not always bind semantically to the scenario of the following finite verb. In some cases it binds to the preceding scenario. Take for example Mk 5:1-2:
Mark 5:1 Καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γερασηνῶν. 2 καὶ ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου εὐθὺς ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἄνθρωπος ἐν πνεύματι ἀκαθάρτῳ,
The participle clause ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου marks the termination of a travel by boat scenario. The fact that Jesus had just got out of the boat onto the land doesn’t play a major role in the following scenario. Jesus could have arrived by other means at this location without disturbing the following scenario. On the other hand, getting off the boat is a prototypical end “wrapper” for a travel by boat scenario. Mk 5:1-5:2a serves a double purpose. It terminates the preceding scenario and it provides time and location information for the following scenario. If we think of scenarios as packages, Mk 5:1-5:2a is the end wrapper for the travel by boat scenario. The wrapper for the travel by boat scenario is found in Mk 4:35b and 5:2a. The scenario wrapper begins with the decision to travel by boat Mk 4:35b διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πέραν and ends with the statement that Jesus disembarked Mk 5:2a καὶ ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου.
Mark 4:35 Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὀψίας γενομένης· διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πέραν. 36 καὶ ἀφέντες τὸν ὄχλον παραλαμβάνουσιν αὐτὸν ὡς ἦν ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ, καὶ ἄλλα πλοῖα ἦν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.
Mark 5:1 Καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γερασηνῶν. 2 καὶ ἐξελθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου εὐθὺς ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἄνθρωπος ἐν πνεύματι ἀκαθάρτῳ,
The wrapper in the travel by boat scenario is semantically closely associated with the situation represented in the scenario. This isn’t always true. Mk 5:1-2a also provides a time and place for the scenario that follows. But it doesn’t matter much how Jesus arrived when he was confronted by the demoniac. It is not crucial to the story that he arrived by boat. If we define a generic story episode scenario as having a wrapper which may provide time, location and circumstances, then the scenario within the wrapper can be though of as a subordinate scenario contained by the story episode scenario. In other words, the healing of the demoniac is a scenario contained within a story episode wrapper which makes it a sort of package. The package wrapper may not always be semantically tightly bound with the scenario inside. The wrapper has a narrative discourse function. It links the episodes together by place, time and circumstance.
[1]appendix F “Evidence That Greek Participial Clauses Belong in the Main Verb’s Scenario” page 523ff, but see also pages 100, 254, 255 and qualifications of this claim on pages 122, 136. Richard A. Hoyle, Scenarios, discourse and translation. SIL 2008
Labels: ancient greek, biblical greek, discourse analysis, focus, greek syntax, lakoff, lexical semantics, new testament exegesis, Scenarios, semantic frames, semantic theory, word order
posted by C. Stirling Bartholomew | 11:49 AM
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