Table Of ContentTHE SYRIAC LANGUAGE OF THE PESHITIA
AND OLD SYRIAC VERSIONS OF MATTHEW
STUDIES IN SEMITIC
LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS
EDITED BY
T. MURAOKA AND C.H.M. VERSTEEGH
XXII
THE SYRIAC LANGUAGE OF THE PESHITTA
AND OLD SYRIAC VERSIONS OF MATTHEW
THE SYRIAC LANGUAGE
OF THE PESHITTA
AND OLD SYRIAC VERSIONS OF
MATTHEW
Syntactic Structure, Inner-Syriac Developments
and Translation Technique
BY
JAN JOOSTEN
EJ. BRILL
LEIDEN· NEW YORK· KOLN
1996
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee
on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Joosten,Jan.
The Syriac language of the Peshitta and old Syriac versions of Matthew
: syntactic structure, inner-Syriac developments and translation
technique / by Jan Joosten.
p. cm. - (Studies in Semitic languages and linguistics, ISSN
0081-8461 : 22)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 9004100369 (cloth: alk. paper)
l. Syriac language-Grammar. 2. Bible. N.T. Matthew. Syriac-
-Versions. I. Title. II. Series.
PJ5421J66 1995
492'.35-dc20 95-16571
CIP
Die Deutsche Bibliothek-CIP-Einheitsaufnahme
Joosten,Jan:
The Syriac language of the Peshitta and old Syriac versions of
Matthew/ by JanJoosten. - Leiden; New York; Koln: Brill,
1996
(Studies in Semitic languages and linguistics ; 22)
ISBN 90-04--10036-9
NE:GT
ISSN 0081-8461
ISBN 90 04 l 0036 9
© Col!Jright 1996 by EJ. Brill, Leiden, TkeNetherl.ands
All rights reserved. No part oft his publication may be reproduced, translaJed, stored in
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Fees are subject to change.
PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
CONTENTS
Abbreviations and other conventions ............................................................. xi
Preface ........................................................................................................... xii
Introduction .................................•................................................................... 1
I The Old Syriac and Peshitta versions of Matthew. ....................................... 5
0. Introduction ...................................................................................... 5
1. The Old Syriac ................................................................................. 6
l. l. The relationship between C and S ......................................... 6
1.2. The dependence of the OS on the Diatessaron ...................... 10
1.3. Characterization of the OS version of Mt... ........................... 16
2. The Peshitta .................................................................................... 17
2.1. The relationship between P and the OS ..................... 17
2.2. Characterization of the P version of Mt... .............................. 21
3. The Diatessaron ........................................................................... 22
3.1. Elements of a West Aramaic Gospel tradition ....................... 22
3.2. OTP text in the OT quotations .............................................. 25
4. Conclusion ...................................................................................... 27
II Syntax of the nominal phrase .................................................................... .31
0. Introduction .................................................................................... 31
1. Determination of an NP by means of a pronoun ......................... 31
1.1. Demonstrative pronoun ......................................................... 31
1.2. Personal pronoun ................................................................... 36
2. The constructions of the direct object... ........................................ .37
2.1. Sequence: verb - object.. ....................................................... 38
2.1.1. Otal x ........................................................................... .38
2.1.2. Ota! I-X ........................................................................ .39
2.1.3. Oatleh I-X .................................................................... .40
2.1.4. Oatleh X ....................................................................... .41
2.2. Sequence: object - verb ... , .................................................... .42
2.2.1. X gtal ........................................................................... .43
2.2.2. 1-X gtal .......................................................................... 43
2.2.3. (I-) X gatleh .................................................................. .44
2.2.4. I-suffix 1-X qtal .............................................................. 44
3. The use of an anticipating pronoun with prepositions ................... .45
3.1. l ............................................................................................ .45
3.2. ~ ........................................................................................... .46
3.3. ~ ~ ;,::a,,... ••.•..•••••••••...••••••••••••.•..••.•••.•.•••••....•...•..•••.••.•.•••••••.• 47
vi CONTENTS
3.4. Prep.-suff. d-X ...................................................................... .47
4. The 'genitive' constructions .......................................................... .47
4.1. Bayta d-X ............................................................................. .47
4.2. Bayteh d-X ............................................................................. 50
4.3. Bet X ..................................................................................... 51
4.4. The use of prepositions to render a Greek genitive ............... 56
5. The use of l.:t ................................................................................. 57
5 .1. Independently ........................................................................ 57
5.2. Adnominally .......................................................................... 57
6. The syntax of the numeral... .......................................................... .59
6.1. 'One' ...................................................................................... 59
6.1.1. X hd(') .......................................................................... 59
6.1.2. hd<'l x. ......................................................................... 60
6.2. Other numerals ...................................................................... 61
6.2.1. Numeral X ..................................................................... 61
6.2.2. X numeral. .................................................................... 62
6.2.3. Numeral-suffix X .......................................................... 63
6.2.4. Numeral in status constructus X ................................... 63
7. The syntax of b ............................................................................. 63
7.1. Non suffixed b ..................................................................... 63
7.2. Suffixed b ............................................................................ 65
7.2.1. NP singular ................................................................... 65
7 .2.2. NP plural. ...................................................................... 66
7.3. Problematic case .................................................................... 66
8. The use of the status absolutus ...................................................... 67
a) Predicative adjective ................................................................. 67
b) With r<"om .................................................................................6 7
c) Predicative complement. .......................................................... 69
d) With numeral. ........................................................................... 70
e) With b ..................................................................................... 70
f) Distributive expressions ............................................................ 70
g) With negation ........................................................................... 70
h) Following ~ ........................................................................ 71
i) Following t<Lr<" ................................._ .. ......................................7 1
j) Nouns used adverbially ............................................................. 71
k) Preposition+ noun used adverbially ........................................ 71
1) Proper noun ............................................................................... 72
m) 'Someone' etc .......................................................................... 72
n) ~~ .......................................................................................7 2
o) ~ ...........................................................................................7 2
p) Other cases ............................................................................... 72
9. Anteposition of the attributive adjective ........................................ 73
9.1. i<li.»r<". ...................................................................................7 4
CONTENTS vii
9.2. r<'~. ..........•............................................•.........................7 4
III Syntax of the non-verbal clause ................................................................ 77
0. Introduction .................................................................................... 77
l. The descriptive non-verbal clause .................................................. 79
1.1. Pr= adjective not followed by e.p.p ...................................... 79
1.2. Pr= adjective followed by e.p.p ............................................ 81
1.3. Pr= substantive ..................................................................... 83
1.4. Pr= numeral. ......................................................................... 84
1.5. Pr= prepositional phrase.: ..................................................... 85
1.6. Pr= adverb ............................................................................ 85
2. The identificatory non-verbal clause .............................................. 85
2.1. Su or Pr = pronoun ................................................................ 87
2.2. Su and Pr= nouns .................................................................. 88
3. Non-verbal clauses without e.p.p ................................................... 91
3.1. Nominal clauses ..................................................................... 91
3.2. Adverbial clauses ................................................................... 92
4. Predicate= interrogative pronoun .................................................. 93
4.1. ~ .......................................................................................... 94
4.2.~. ....................................................................................... 94
4.3. ,<:,:, ....••.....•.............•..............•.•.•••...•.•...•...............................•9 4
4.4. ~r<'. ..........•.......................•••••.•..•••...........•........................••9 4
4.5. ~ ...................................................................................... 94
4.6. ~r<'. ...•.•..............•..•.•........................................................9 4
5. The negation of the non-verbal clause ............................................ 95
5.1. With ~ ................................................................................. 95
5.2. With r<'am ~ •.................•.....•..•.•.•.•.•...•••...........•..........•.......9 6
IV Syntax of the hare" clause .......................................................................... 97
0. Introduction .................................................................................... 97
1. Non suffixed har<' .•..••...•.......•...•.....•••.•..•...•.•••......•........•.........•......9 7
1.1. Without adverbial complement... ........................................... 98
1.1.l. har<' .•......••....................•.•..•....•.•..•......•..........................9 8
1.1.2. lsul ................................................................................. 98
1.2. With adverbial complement... ................................................ 99
1.2.l. har<' ••.•••.......•......•..•.......•.•...•..•••..•.......••.................•....•.9 9
1.2.2. lsul .................................................................................9 9
1.3. With~= 'to have' ................................................................ 101
1.3.1. har<' •.•..•.•••.....••...•.........••...•.•..•....•..•....•.....•............•.•.. 101
1.3.2. lsul ............................................................................... 102
2. Suffixed har<' •.................................•...•...•......................••...•......... 103
2.1. Expressing existence ............................................................ 103
2. 1.1. hare" ............................................................................. l 03
2.1.2. lsul ............................................................................... 104
2.2. Copulaic ............................................................................... 104
viii CONTENTS
2.2.1. Pr = locative ................................................................ 104
2.2.2. Pr= non locative adverbial phrase .............................. 104
2.2.3. Pr= indefinite NP. ...................................................... 104
2.2.4. Pr= definite NP .......................................................... 105
2.2.5. Problematic cases ........................................................ 105
V Verbal syntax ........................................................................................... 109
0. Introduction .................................................................................. 109
1. The 'tenses' .................................................................................. 109
I. I. The use of qtal wa ................................................................ 110
1.2. The expression of the future tense ....................................... 113
1.3. The use of qatel wa. ............................................................. 114
1.4. The use of hwa qatel.. ......................................................... .129
2. The asyndetic connection of finite verbal forms .......................... 131
2.1. Asyndeton expressing hypotaxis .......................................... 131
2.1.1. Neqtol a) Object clause .............................................. 131
b) Purpose clause ............................................ 132
2.1.2. Oatel a) Object clause ............................................ 132
b) Purpose clause ............................................ 132
c) Circumstantial clause ............................... 133
2.2. Asyndeton of identical verbal forms .................................... 133
2.2.1. Ota! 9!!!1 ...................................................................... 134
2.2.2. Oto! qtol. ..................................................................... 136
2.2.3. Negtol negtol.. ............................................................ 137
2.2.4. Oatel gatel. .................................................................. 137
3. The 'dativus ethicus' .................................................................... 138
3.1. With verbs meaning 'to obtain' ........................................... 138
3.2. With verbs of motion and change ofposition. ..................... 139
3.3. With stative and passive verbs ............................................. 140
VI Inner Syriac developments ..................................................................... 143
0. lntroduction .................................................................................. 143
1. Developments in the structure of the NP ...................................... 144
l. l. Personal pronoun + proper noun ......................................... 144
1.2. X numeral. ........................................................................... 145
1.3. The status absolutus ............................................................ 145
1.4. The anteposition of ~i»r<'. ................................................. 147
2. Developments in the structure of the NVC. .................................. 147
2.1. Identificatory clauses with fronted pronoun ........................ 14 7
2.2. The simple juxtaposition of Su and Pr. ............................... .148
3. Developments in the structure of the ~r< clause ......................... 149
3.1. It 1-= 'to have' with definite 'direct object' ........................ 149
3.2. Copulaic it-suffix ................................................................. 150
4. Developments of the verbal system. ............................................. 151
4.1. The function of qtal wa. ...................................................... .151
CONTENTS ix
4.2. The function of negtol... ...................................................... 152
VII Syntax and translation technique ........................................................ 153
0. Introduction .................................................................................. 153
1. The translational character of the OS and P of Mt... .................... 154
I.I. The OS ............................... ·. ................................................. 154
1.1.1. The Diatessaric basis ................................................... 155
1.1.1. l. Syriac idioms ...................................................... 155
1.1.1.2. 'Semitic' syntax .................................................. 157
1.1.1.3. Translational techniques .................................... 160
1.1.1.4. Individual renderings .......................................... 161
1.1.2. The OS redaction ........................................................ 162
1.2. The Peshitta ......................................................................... 164
1.2.1. The Diatessaric basis ................................................... 164
1.2.2. The P redaction ........................................................... 164
1.2.2. l. Omission of small pluses ................................... 165
1.2.2.2. Etymological rendering of particles ................... 166
1.2.2.3. Translational techniques .................................... 169
2. Translational techniques ............................................................... 169
2.1. The rendering of passives with actives ................................ 170
2.1.1. With personal agent... ................................................. 170
2.1.2. Without personal agent... ............................................ 171
2.2. 1t d-... it d-... = oc; µtv. .. oc; 6e: ........................................... 112
2.3. llul = copulaic OUK fon with indefinite subject... ................ 173
2.4. Copulaic i!-suffix ................................................................. 175
2.4.1. Word order .................................................................. 175
2.4.2. Ellipsis of the predicate ............................................... 176
2.4.3. Other cases ....................................................................... 177
2.5. The renderings of wcm: + inf. expressing consequence .......... 178
Appendix: The non-verbal clauses contained in PCS of Matthew .............. 181
Bibliography ................................................................................................ 215
Index of Authors .......................................................................................... 221
Index of selected passages ........................................................................... 222
