Genitive absolute
Encyclopedia
In Ancient Greek grammar
, the genitive absolute (Latin: genitivus absolutus) is a grammatical construction
consisting of a participle
and often a noun
which are both in the genitive case
, very similar to the ablative absolute in Latin
. A genitive absolute construction
serves as a dependent clause
, usually at the beginning of a sentence, in which the genitive noun is subject of the dependent clause and the participle takes on the role of predicate.
The term absolute comes from the Latin absolutus, literally meaning made loose. This comes from the general truth that the genitive absolute does not refer to anything in the independent clause. However, although this is often true, there are many exceptions, notably in the New Testament
and in Koine
generally.
are used in forming a genitive absolute. This results in different meanings of text and different translations, because of different relations in time between the independent and the dependent clause. Present participles are used when the information in the dependent clause happens "during" the independent clause, and are therefore translated as such. Either such a translated genitive absolute begins with, for example, while or as, or a present participle is used.
Aorist participles are used when the dependent clause takes place before the independent clause. This means that instead of while and as, after and when are the conjunctions in translations, or a perfect participle is applied and not a present one. Future participles, which are less common than their present and aorist counterparts, give information about what will or might be.
Apart from translations with these conjunctions, others are also frequently used while translating a genitive absolute, such as because, however, or although.
s in Indo-European languages
, such as accusative absolute
, ablative absolute in Latin, dative absolute in Gothic
and Old Church Slavonic
, and locative absolute in Vedic Sanskrit
. Compare also nominative absolute
in English.
This first example shows how a genitive absolute with a present participle is used with simultaneous actions. The independent clause is "" ("...the women are at home by themselves"). The dependent clause and genitive absolute in this example is "" ("While the men are waging war"). It explains to the reader why the women are home alone, and yet is additional and not required information. Note the usage of the conjunction while, indicating the two facts occurring at the same time.
When translating into English, failure to render the Greek participle into a finite clause often yields a stilted or even ungrammatical result: "The men waging war, the women are at home..." is hardly acceptable.
This example shows a genitive absolute with an aorist participle. The independent clause in this sentence, "", explains what happens ("...the slaves begin to work."). The genitive absolute, being "", provides the reader with additional information ("After the/their master has ordered (it)..."). Here, note the conjunction after, which indicates the two facts do not happen simultaneously, as they do with the present genitive absolute.
In this case, a more direct rendition, with 'having' as an overt indicator of temporal sequence, is possible if somewhat stilted: "The master having ordered it, the slaves began to work."
Ancient Greek grammar
Ancient Greek grammar is morphologically complex and preserves several features of Proto-Indo-European morphology. Nouns, adjectives, pronouns, articles, numerals and especially verbs are all highly inflected. This article is an introduction to this morphological complexity.-Diacritics:The...
, the genitive absolute (Latin: genitivus absolutus) is a grammatical construction
Grammatical construction
In linguistics, a grammatical construction is any syntactic string of words ranging from sentences over phrasal structures to certain complex lexemes, such as phrasal verbs....
consisting of a participle
Participle
In linguistics, a participle is a word that shares some characteristics of both verbs and adjectives. It can be used in compound verb tenses or voices , or as a modifier...
and often a noun
Noun
In linguistics, a noun is a member of a large, open lexical category whose members can occur as the main word in the subject of a clause, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition .Lexical categories are defined in terms of how their members combine with other kinds of...
which are both in the genitive case
Genitive case
In grammar, genitive is the grammatical case that marks a noun as modifying another noun...
, very similar to the ablative absolute in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. A genitive absolute construction
Absolute construction
In linguistics, an absolute construction is a grammatical construction involving a non-finite clause that is subordinate in form and modifies an entire sentence, but has no syntactic link to its main clause...
serves as a dependent clause
Clause
In grammar, a clause is the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition. In some languages it may be a pair or group of words that consists of a subject and a predicate, although in other languages in certain clauses the subject may not appear explicitly as a noun phrase,...
, usually at the beginning of a sentence, in which the genitive noun is subject of the dependent clause and the participle takes on the role of predicate.
The term absolute comes from the Latin absolutus, literally meaning made loose. This comes from the general truth that the genitive absolute does not refer to anything in the independent clause. However, although this is often true, there are many exceptions, notably in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and in Koine
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
generally.
Conjunctions in different tenses
All three participle tensesGrammatical tense
A tense is a grammatical category that locates a situation in time, to indicate when the situation takes place.Bernard Comrie, Aspect, 1976:6:...
are used in forming a genitive absolute. This results in different meanings of text and different translations, because of different relations in time between the independent and the dependent clause. Present participles are used when the information in the dependent clause happens "during" the independent clause, and are therefore translated as such. Either such a translated genitive absolute begins with, for example, while or as, or a present participle is used.
Aorist participles are used when the dependent clause takes place before the independent clause. This means that instead of while and as, after and when are the conjunctions in translations, or a perfect participle is applied and not a present one. Future participles, which are less common than their present and aorist counterparts, give information about what will or might be.
Apart from translations with these conjunctions, others are also frequently used while translating a genitive absolute, such as because, however, or although.
Absolute constructions
Absolute constructions occur with other grammatical caseGrammatical case
In grammar, the case of a noun or pronoun is an inflectional form that indicates its grammatical function in a phrase, clause, or sentence. For example, a pronoun may play the role of subject , of direct object , or of possessor...
s in Indo-European languages
Indo-European languages
The Indo-European languages are a family of several hundred related languages and dialects, including most major current languages of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and South Asia and also historically predominant in Anatolia...
, such as accusative absolute
Accusative absolute
The accusative absolute is a grammatical construction found in some languages. It is an absolute construction found in the accusative case.-Greek:...
, ablative absolute in Latin, dative absolute in Gothic
Gothic language
Gothic is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths. It is known primarily from the Codex Argenteus, a 6th-century copy of a 4th-century Bible translation, and is the only East Germanic language with a sizable Text corpus...
and Old Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic or Old Church Slavic was the first literary Slavic language, first developed by the 9th century Byzantine Greek missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius who were credited with standardizing the language and using it for translating the Bible and other Ancient Greek...
, and locative absolute in Vedic Sanskrit
Vedic Sanskrit
Vedic Sanskrit is an old Indo-Aryan language. It is an archaic form of Sanskrit, an early descendant of Proto-Indo-Iranian. It is closely related to Avestan, the oldest preserved Iranian language...
. Compare also nominative absolute
Nominative absolute
In English grammar, a nominative absolute is a free-standing part of a sentence that describes or modifies the main subject and verb. It is usually at the beginning or end of the sentence, although it can also appear in the middle...
in English.
Examples
Below are two examples of the genitive absolute, in different tenses.This first example shows how a genitive absolute with a present participle is used with simultaneous actions. The independent clause is "" ("...the women are at home by themselves"). The dependent clause and genitive absolute in this example is "" ("While the men are waging war"). It explains to the reader why the women are home alone, and yet is additional and not required information. Note the usage of the conjunction while, indicating the two facts occurring at the same time.
When translating into English, failure to render the Greek participle into a finite clause often yields a stilted or even ungrammatical result: "The men waging war, the women are at home..." is hardly acceptable.
This example shows a genitive absolute with an aorist participle. The independent clause in this sentence, "", explains what happens ("...the slaves begin to work."). The genitive absolute, being "", provides the reader with additional information ("After the/their master has ordered (it)..."). Here, note the conjunction after, which indicates the two facts do not happen simultaneously, as they do with the present genitive absolute.
In this case, a more direct rendition, with 'having' as an overt indicator of temporal sequence, is possible if somewhat stilted: "The master having ordered it, the slaves began to work."