Pronoun – Genitive, dative (2p)

ObjectivesLearning objectives

The morphology of the gen, dat 2p pronouns
The distinction between core and non-core datives

VocabularyVocabulary

Greek	Gloss	Part of speech	Paradigm
μέσος	in the middle	adverb
κωφός, -ή, -όν	deaf	adjective	A.a.α
κενός, -ή, -όν	empty	adjective	A.a.α
θέλω τήν	(I) want the (acc)	verb	C.a.α
τὸ βάπτισμα, -ατος	the baptism	noun	B.a.γ.i(a)
εἶδον τήν	(I) saw the (acc)	verb	C.a.α

MorphologyMorphology: Pronoun – Genitive, dative (2p)

The 2p forms are identical to the 1p forms (see 11.2.4.1) except that the ἡ- is replaced with ὑ-.

Morphology: Pronoun – Genitive, dative (2p)

	Singular	Plural
Genitive	σου	ὑμῶν
Dative	σοι	ὑμῖν

SemanticsSemantics: Noun – Dative case (Core vs. Non-core dative)

In 3.1.4.2, we said that the dative can introduce the recipient of a transfer of possession event, as in αὐτὸς δίδωσι ἡμῖν σπέρμα ‘he is giving us a seed.’ In this example, the dative is referring to a participant in the event, since ‘us’ represents the people that are receiving the seed being given. However, the dative case can also be used to introduce people that are not participants in the event but might be affected by the event in some way. This type of dative has been called a “ non-core dative ,” while the dative that introduces an argument has been called a “ core dative .”1 Two non-core datives are found in 2 Cor 5:13:

Example 93People affected by an event

For if we are out of our minds, it is θεῷ [for God]. If we are in our right minds, it is ὑμῖν [for you]

1 See (Boneh and Bar-Asher Siegal 2015) for this terminology and for a recent discussion of the differences.

In this case, the state of being in your right mind or out of your mind does not require an extra participant. You do not normally have to be in your right mind or out of your right mind for someone else. This begs the question: how do the participants introduced by the dative relate to the events being described by the verb? Since they are not participants in the event, these non-core datives can be interpreted in different ways. The verb does not determine their interpretation, as it does for a verb like δίδωμι where the core dative introduces a recipient. In (93), the dative would often be called a beneficiary because it benefits the person introduced in some way. Paul and Timothy are out of their minds ‘for God,’ and they are in their right minds ‘for you’ (the Corinthians). The basic idea of non-core datives is that they introduce someone who is affected by the event in some way, normally positively, though the individual does not participate in the actual event.

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