I'm not entirely sure that "accurate" rightly describes it either. Since the function of the particles as connective, adversative , and emphatic nature of the "stack" isn't truly conveyed. There is a fluid nature to particles that cannot really be understood by means of a static approach to defining them. The contrasting nature of the "men..de" structure is vastly varied from stark to nearly none at all. This is all certainly the founding observation which brought about the philosophy of Denniston's approach in his work, who feels it is best to "bathe" the student in examples. Indeed, it's LSJ's philosophy, as the massive tome presents numerous examples of how particles function within sentence structure. Often, it is far too subtle an addition to a clause to acheive anything but an italicized word in English.
I have to concede, however, that attempts to translate them do often result in awkward English, since their supple nature in Greek does not find an English analogue terribly easily. I suppose my point was that we should not attempt to decode Homer, but in reading him, we ought to show a true understanding by making and effort to reconstitute him in the best English we can find for his meaning.
Clearly I feel very strongly about the little buggers. Nice to LJ meet you.
we should not attempt to decode Homer, but in reading him, we ought to show a true understanding by making and effort to reconstitute him in the best English we can find for his meaning.
Yes, I agree completely. Then again, you run up against the rocks of the "untranslateable." Sometimes the little buggers, as you call them, fall into this category. However, I also don't like simply skipping over them. It feels too much like the easy way out. Greek is the only language I know of where one can spend half an hour musing over the translation of a two-letter word. It's amazing.
This is all certainly the founding observation which brought about the philosophy of Denniston's approach in his work, who feels it is best to "bathe" the student in examples. Indeed, it's LSJ's philosophy, as the massive tome presents numerous examples of how particles function within sentence structure. Often, it is far too subtle an addition to a clause to acheive anything but an italicized word in English.
I have to concede, however, that attempts to translate them do often result in awkward English, since their supple nature in Greek does not find an English analogue terribly easily. I suppose my point was that we should not attempt to decode Homer, but in reading him, we ought to show a true understanding by making and effort to reconstitute him in the best English we can find for his meaning.
Clearly I feel very strongly about the little buggers. Nice to LJ meet you.
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Yes, I agree completely. Then again, you run up against the rocks of the "untranslateable." Sometimes the little buggers, as you call them, fall into this category. However, I also don't like simply skipping over them. It feels too much like the easy way out. Greek is the only language I know of where one can spend half an hour musing over the translation of a two-letter word. It's amazing.
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