Notes On Koine Greek: Part 24

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1. The Uses & Functions of the Definite Article in Koine Greek: In the
last section of these “Notes”, I mentioned that the next several installations would
explore the “article” and its different uses / functions. We continue that here.
2. The Nuts & Bolts of the Koine Greek Definite Article: Here’s my
“new” way for remember the functions and uses of the definite article: images of
nuts and bolts!
3. The Definite Article With Substantives: In Greek, the definite article
functions in 7 major ways with substantives. A substantive is basically a category
that includes nouns and nominals (a word that is not a noun but may function as
one, for example, when we talk about seeing “the movie”, we can be talking about
the “movie” itself, which is a noun, or the event of seeing “the movie”, which is a
nominal. The difference is between the “thing” and the “event” referring to the
thing.).
4. The First “Nut” of the Definite Article: Here, is the “first” lug nut, which
deals with the article in relationship to the substantive. I shall refer to this as the
“Substantive Lug Nut”:

Substantive (7-Sided) Lug Nut

© 2009, T. Michael W. Halcomb

(one of a kind)
Monadic Familiar
(well-known, common)

(a quality or concept)
Abstract Simple
(1 individual from another)

Points To Something:

(excellent; the best)

Par Excellence Anaphoric
(previously mentioned)

Deictic
(person or object present)

*Note: You can use the short phrase, starting with the term Familiar to remember the
“lug nut: “F Sad Pam” or starting with Simple: “Sad Pam F”.