Wallace_Person/Number and Active Voice

Question 1

What is the second person for third person? And what is significant about this category?

Answer 1

1. It is where a second person finite verb is used for a general third person
2. This is most likely not a category that is used
   (this is used in English, but not in Greek)

Question 2

What are the three possible references with the first person plural?

Answer 2

1. Editorial we = “I” (not common)
2. Exclusive we = “I and my associates”
3. Inclusive we = “You and I”

Question 3

How to identify an editorial we?

Answer 3

1. Context

2. likely clue is when first person singular shifts to a first person plural

Question 4

Explain What a neuter plural subject with singular verb is?

Answer 4

1. neuter plural subject normally takes a singular verb

2. the singular verb regards the plural subject as a collective whole

Question 5

When the author wants to stress the individuality of each subject involved in a neuter plural subject, what verb is used?

Answer 5

plural verb

Question 6

What is a compound subject with singular verb? (also explain normal construction first)

Answer 6

1. When two subjects, each in the singular, are joined by a conjunction, the verb is usually in the plural
2. However, when an author wants to highlight one of the subjects the verb is put in the singular (the first names subject is being stressed)

Question 7

What is the indefinite plural? And what alternative construction can this take?

Answer 7

1. “they” = “someone”
2. convert to a passive where the object becomes the subject (“They have discovered a cure.” becomes “A cure has been discovered”) (sometimes the indefinite plural is a circumlocution for naming God as subject)

Question 8

Define voice

Answer 8

indicates how the subject is related to the action (or state) expressed by the verb

Question 9

What is an easy way to determine if a verb is transitive or intransitive

Answer 9

1. passive transform test

2. transitive verbs can be converted to passive; intransitives cannot

Question 10

What is a causative active? And what is the translational gloss?

Answer 10

1. The subject is not directly involved in the action, but may be said to be the ultimate source or cause of it.
2. “cause to” inserted before the verb (sometimes it is appropriate to convert the verb to a passive)

Question 11

What is a stative active verb? And when is this category evident?

Answer 11

1. the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb

2. includes both copulas and verbs that are translated with an adjective in the predicate (very common usage;)

Question 12

What is the reflexive active?

Answer 12

1. The subject acts on himself.
2. The reflexive pronoun (eg ἑαυτον), while the corresponding reflexive middle omits the pronoun (common; σωσον σεαυτον “save yourself”)