APPENDIX C

 

CONJUGATION

 

C4. VERBS WITH DIRECT FLEXIONS

 

C4.1 THE SO-CALLED "SECOND TENSES"

 

C4.11 The tense stem for a flexion of certain verbs is formed without the morph consonant which is normally used for that tense. As we have seen (#Cl .82), this always happens in the case of the aorist active of liquid verbs, which take -α- and not -σα- as their punctiliar morph (because the -o slides off the liquid). It also occurs in a number of consonant-stem verbs (and one with a vowel stem) in the future middle (deponent), the perfect active and middle/passive, and the aorist passive (and thus in the future passive which is formed from it).

 

C4.12 No special name seems to have been given to this characteristic when it occurs in the aorist active of liquid verbs or of such other verbs as ἦλθα, εἶπα and εἶδα (see #C2 .93), but in the other tenses it is said by numerous grammarians (on the supposed analogy of the second aorist active) to be a "second future", "second perfect", or a "second aorist passive". This is a misleading and confusing choice of terminology. To call something a "second aorist" is a short-hand way of saying that such a flexion follows a "second pattern of conjugating its aorist", in contradistinction from the λύω model, which is the "first" and overwhelmingly more common pattern. Thus a true second aorist has a different set of endings from the first aorist. Now this is unquestionably true of the second aorist active flexion: the aorist flexion of βάλλω (ἔβαλον), does indeed follow a different pattern from the first aorist of λύω (ἔλυσα). But these so-called other "second tenses" simply lack the consonant part of the morph which identifies their aspect or voice (i.e. they contain a shorter alternative morph or allomorph of the usual aspect and/or voice morph). But as far as their endings are concerned, it is a fact that they do not differ in any way from the regular paradigms of the First Conjugation.

                                                            

C4.13 A more accurate approach is to note that these verbs add their distinctive aspect/voice morphs and endings more directly to the tense stem, i.e. without the usual intervening consonant, and a more appropriate descriptive term for them is therefore direct verbs or verbs with a direct tense or direct flexion.

 

C4.14 Direct flexions occur in the future middle (lacking -σ-); in the perfect active (lacking the aspiration of the consonant if the stem ends in a labial, palatal or dental, or the -κ- in other cases); or in the aorist passive/future passive (lacking the -θ-).

 

C4.15 The following Synopsis gives the complete list of all direct flexions of verbs found in the New Testament (other than the first aorist for liquid verbs, for which see #C1.89). Verb roots are given in brackets with the sign √.

 

C4.2 DIRECT FLEXTON FUTURE MIDDLE (DEPONENT) (2)

έσθίω	eat	(√φαγ)	φάγομαι	ἔφαγον	—	—	—
πίνω	drink	(√πι)	πίομαι	ἔπιον	πέπωκα	—	—

 

C4.3 DIRECT FLEXION PERFECT ACTIVE (9)

ἀκούω	hear	(√ἀκου)	ἀκούσω	ἤκουσα	ἀκήκοα	(ἤκουσμαο)	ἠκούσθην
ἀνοίγω†	open	(√οιγ)	ἀνοίξω	ἀνέῳξα	ἀνέῳγα	ἀνέῳγμαι	ἀνεῳχθην
ἀπόλλυμι	destroy	(√ολ)	ἀπολέσω	ἀπώλεσα	ἀπόλωλα	—	—
γίνομαι	become	(√γεν)	γενήσομαι	ἐγενόμην	γέγονα	γεγένημαι	ἐγενήθην
ἥκω	be present	(√ἡκ)	ἥξω	ἥξα	ἥκα	—	—
κράζω	cry out	(√κραγ)	κράξω	ἔκραξα/-ον	κέκραγα	—	—
—	know	(√ϝιδ)	—	—	οἶδα	—	—
σήπω	decay	(√σηπ)	(σήψω)	(ἔσηψα)	σέσηπα	—	—
φεύγω	flee	(√φυγ)	φεύξομαι	ἔφυγον	πέφυγα	—	—

†Variant forms occur for this verb: see #4.62, and Matthew 7:7, etc.

 

C4.4 DIRECT FLEXION AORIST/FUTURE PASSIVE (29)

ἀγγέλλω	announce	(√ἀγγελ)	ἀγγελέω	ἤγγειλα	ἤγγελκα	ἤγγελμαι	ἠγγέλην
ἀλλάσσω	change	(√ἀλλαγ)	ἀλλάξω	ἤλλαξα	(ἤλλαχα)
ἁρπάζω	snatch	(√ἁπαζ)	ἁρπάσω	ἥρπασα	ἥρπακα
γράφω	write	(√γραγ)	γράψω	ἔγραψα	γέγραφα
δέρω	thrash	(√δερ)	δερέω	ἔδειρα	—
θάπτω	bury	(√θαφ)	θάψω	ἔθαψα	—
καίω‡	burn	(√καϝ)	καύσω	ἔκαυσα	—
κατάγνυμι‡	break	(√ϝαγ)	κατέαξω	κατέαξα	—	—
κόπτω	cut	(√κοπ)	κόψω	ἔκαψα
κρύπτω	conceal	(√κρυβ)	(κρύψω)	ἔκρυψα
νύσσω	prick	(√νυγ)	—	ἔνυξα	—	—
πλέκω	weave	(√πλεκ)	(πλέξω)	ἔπλεξα
πλήσσω	strike	(√πληγ)	(πλήξω)	ἔπληξα	—	—
πνίγω	choke	(√πνιγ)	(πνίξω)	ἔπνιξα	—	—
σπείρω	sow	(√σπερ)	σπερέω	ἔσπειρα
στέλλω	send	(√στελ)	στελέω	ἔστειλα			ἐστάλην
στρέφω	turn	(√στρεφ)	στρέψω	ἔστρεψα	—		ἐσφάγην
σφάζω	slaughter	(√σφαγ)	σφάξω	ἔσφαξα	—		ἐσφάγην
τάσσω	appoint	(√ταγ)	τάξω	ἔταξα			ἐτάγην
-τρέπω	turn	(√τρεπ)	(τρέψω)	-ἔτρεψα	—		-ἐτράπην
τρέφω	nourish	(√θρεφ)	(θρέψω)	ἔθρεψα	—		ἐτράφην
-τρίβω	rub	(√τριβ)	-τρίψω	-έτριψα			-ἐτρίβην
φαίνω	shine/appear	(√φαν)	φανέομαι	ἔφανα	—	—	ἐφάνην
φθείρω	ruin	(√φθερ)	φθερέω	ἔφθειρα			ἐφθάρην
φράσσω	close up	(√φραγ)	(φράξω)	ἔφραξα	—	—	ἐφράγην
φύω	grow up	(√φυ)	(φύσω)	(ἔφυν)	—	—	ἐφύην
χαίρω	rejoice	(√χαρ)	χαρήσομαι	—	—	—	ἐχάρην
ψύχω	cool down	(√ψυχ)	(ψύξω)	ἔψυξα	—	—	ἐψύγην

‡ Re verbs with digamma (ϝ): see #C8.7.

 

C4.5 CONCERNING VERBS WITH DIRECT FLEXIONS

 

C4.51 A direct flexion form is an irregular verb form because it is not possible to predict from the verb's lexical form that that particular form will occur.

 

C4.52 The foregoing is a complete list of all the direct flexions which actually occur in the New Testament. There are numbers of other verbs used in the New Testament which have direct flexions but which are not included here because no form from such a direct flexion appears in the New Testament. (Examples of such verbs are: with direct perfect active, ἀποκτείνω/ἀπέκτονα, λάμπω/λέλαμπα, λείπω/λέλοιπα; with direct aorist passive, μίγνυμι/ἐμίγην, ῥέω/ἐρρύην, σύρω/ἐσύρην.)

 

C4.53 Several of the words with an aorist passive direct flexion are also found with the regular forms in use as well. Thus for ἁρπάζω both ἡρπάγην and ἡρπάσθην were in use; and similarly for γράφω (ἐγράφην/ἐγράφθην); δέρω (ἐδάρην/ἐδάρθην); τάσσω (-ετάγην/-τάχθην); -τρίβω (-ετρίβην/-ετρίφθην).

 

C4.54 Numbers of verbs do not take -κα in the perfect active, but instead aspirate the final stem consonant. Grammarians have frequently grouped these with the direct flexion perfects and also called them "second perfects". This is a misclassification, and arises from a failure in phonemic analysis of the language. The phoneme, "aspiration plus -α" as an allomorph of -κα as the perfect active morph, is completely regular. It is in accordance with simple, straightforward phonemic rules (see #10.45 and #82.6) and thus is predictable for all regular verbs. There is therefore no basis for classifying verbs of this kind with irregular (i.e., unpredictable) verbs forms. Examples of verbs with this completely regular perfect active can be seen from #C4.4 (which lists those with a direct flexion - and thus, irregular - aorist passive): a labial plus -κα aspirates to -φα as in γράφω → γέγραφα, κόπτω → κέκοφα, κρύπτω → κέκρυφα, τρίβω + τέτριφα; a palatal (including -σσ) plus -κα aspirates to -χα, as in ἀλλάσσω → ἤλλαχα, πλέκω → πέπλεχα, τάσσω → τέταχα. Similarly if the stem ends ιn -χ: ἄρχω → ἦρχα. (See the paradigms for labial stem and palatal stem verbs, #C1.5 and #C1.6.)

 

C5. VERBS WHICH TAKE TWO ASPECT MORPHS

 

C5.O FEATURES OF THIS GROUP OF VERBS

 

C5.01 Greek contains a number of verbs which are conjugational hybrids: like verbs of the Second and Third Conjugations (#C2 and #C3), they add a durative aspect morph in the formation of their present/imperfect tense system, and in addition, like verbs of the First Conjugation (#C1), they add the punctiliar aspect morph -σα (-α for liquids) in forming the aorist.

 

C5.02 Because their aorist thus formed is a first aorist, they are to be classified as verbs of the First Conjugation.

 

C5.03 The durative morphs that they add are similar to those used by Second and/or Third Conjugation verbs in the same way.

 

C5.04 Those with verb stems in -λ double the -λ in accordance with the regular rule for liquids (#C1.83), and those with present stems in -αιρ, -ειρ, -αιν, and -ειν have added the infix -ι- in the formation of the present stem (#C1.84).This -λ- or -ι- (as the case may be) is a durative morph in the verb in which it occurs, and it indicates that the verb form in which it occurs is from that verb's durative aspect system. This durative infix -ι- in the present/imperfect tenses is a totally different morph from the punctiliar infix -ι- which occurs together with -α as the punctiliar morph in those liquid verbs which have -ε- as the stem vowel before the liquid: see #C1.85(a) for details of these.

 

C5.05 All the verbs occurring in the New Testament which take both a durative and a punctiliar aspect morph are given in the following Synopsis, grouped according to the particular durative aspect morph that they take.

 

C5.1 REDUPLICATΕ IN -ι-

βιβρώσκω	consume	(√βρω)	—	—	βέβρωκα	—	—
ἐνδιδύσκω	clothe in	(√ἐνδυ)	—	—	—	—	—
μιμνήσκω	remember	(√μνη)	μνήσω	ἔμνησα	—	μέμνημαι	ἐμνήσθην
πιπράσκω	sell	(√πρα)	—	—	πέπρακα	πέπραμαι	ἐπράθην

 (These have also added -σκ, and so are listed again in #C5.5.)

 

C5.2 DOUBLE THE -λ

(The nine verbs in this category are listed under First Conjugation in #C1.83, and their Principal Parts are given in the list of liquid verbs in #C1.89.)

 

C5.3 ADD -ν (alone, or with other letters)

 

C5.31 ADD -ν

αὐξάνω	increase	(√αὐξα)	αὐξήσω	ηὔξησα	(ηὔξηκα)	(ηὔξημαι)	ηὐξήθην
βλαστάνω	sprout	(√βλαστα)	(βλαστήσω)	ἐβλάστησα	(βεβλάστηκα)	—	—
τίνω	pay	(√τι)	τίσω	—	—	—	—
φθάνω	precede	(√φθα)	(φθάσω)	ἔφθασα	ἔφθασα	—	—

 

C5.32 ADD -νν

-χύννω

pour

(√χυ)

—

—

-κέχυκα

-κέχυμαι

-ἐχύθην

 

C5.33 ADD –ιν

κερδαίνω

gain

(√κερδα)

κερδήσω

ἐκέρδησα

—

—

ἐκερδήθην

 

C5.34 ADD -υν

ἐλαύνω

drive

(√ἐλα)

ἐλάσω

ἤλασα

ἐλήλακα

—

—

 

C5.4 ADD -ε

-ωθέω

thrust

(√ὠθ)

(-ώσω)

-ὦσα

—

—

—

                       

C5.5 ADD -ισκ (after a consonant) OR -σκ (after a vowel)

ἀναλίσκω	destroy	(√ἀναλο)	ἀναλώσω	ἀνήλωσα	—	—	ἀνηλώθην
ἀρέσκω	please	(√ἀρε)	ἀρέσω	ἤρεσα	—	—	—
βιβρώσκω	consume	(√βρω)	—	—	βέβρωκα	—	—
βόσκω	feed	(√βο)	—	—	—	—	—
γαμίσκω	marry	(√γαμ)	—	—	—	—	—
γηράσκω	grow old	(√γηρα)	(γηράσω)	ἐγήρασα	—	—	—
διδάσκω	teach	(√διδακ)	διδάξω	ἐδίδαξα	—	—	ἐδιδάχθην
ἐνδιδύσκω	clothe in	(√ἐνδυ)	—	—	—	—	—
ἐπιφαύσκω	shine upon	(√ἐπιφαυ)	ἐπιφαύσω	—	—	—	—
ἐπιφώσκω	dawn	(√ἐπιφω)	—	—	—	—	—
ἱλάσκομαι	propitiate	(√ἱλα)	—	—	—	—	ἱλάσθην
μεθύσκομαι	get drunk	(√μεθυ)	—	—	—	—	ἐμεθύσθην
μιμνήσκω	remember	(√μνη)	μνήσω	ἔμνησα	—	μέμνημαι	ἐμνήσθην
πιπράσκω	sell	(√πρα)	—	—	πέπρακα	πέπραμαι	ἐπράθην
φάσκω	assert	(√φα)	—	—	—	—	—

           

C5.6 ADD INFIX -ι- TO THE STEM

(The 27 verbs in this category are all listed in #C1.84, and their Principal Parts are given in the list of liquid verbs in #C1.89.)

 

C5.7 ADD -τ TO VERB IN -π

These verbs have the same form as καλύπτω, and follow its paradigm (see #C1.5), losing the -τ outside the durative system and following the usual pattern of labial stem verbs. Three (θάπτω, κόπτω, κρύπτω) have direct flexions in the aorist passive, and are included in the list in #C4.4. These are the eighteen verbs which add -τ as a durative morph:

 

ἅπτω	light	θάπτω	bury	κύπτω	stoop
ἀσράπτω	flash	καλύπτω	cover	νίπτω	wash
βάπτω	dip	κάμπτω	bend	ῥίπτω	cast down
βλάπτω	harm	κλέπτω	steal	σκάπτω	dig
ἐπιράπτω	sew on	κόπτω	cut	συνθρύπτω	break
ἐπισκέπτομαι	visit	κρύπτω	conceal	τύπτω	strike/hit