Pronoun – Demonstrative far singular

ObjectivesLearning objectives

The morphology, syntax, and semantics of the far-demonstrative pronoun (sg)

VocabularyVocabulary

Greek	Gloss	Part of speech	Paradigm
ὁ ὦμος, -ου	the shoulder	noun	B.a.β.i
τὸ κρανίον, -ου	the skull	noun	B.a.β.ii
ὁ τάφος, -ου	the tomb	noun	B.a.β.i
ὁ στῦλος, -ου	the column	noun	B.a.β.i
εὐθέως	immediately	adverb
διὰ τοῦτο	because of this	phrase

MorphologyMorphology: Pronoun – Demonstrative far singular

The stem ἐκεῖν- combines with 1st declension endings in the fem, and 2nd declension endings in the masc/neut
The neut nom/acc are based on the neut article (τὸ), and so have no final ν

Morphology: Pronoun – Demonstrative far singular

	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative singular	ἐκεῖν-ος	ἐκείν-η	ἐκεῖν-ο
Genitive singular	ἐκείν-ου	ἐκείν-ης	ἐκείν-ου
Dative singular	ἐκείν-ῳ	ἐκείν-ῃ	ἐκείν-ῳ
Accusative singular	ἐκεῖν-ον	ἐκείν-ην	ἐκεῖν-ο

SyntaxSyntax: Pronoun – Demonstrative far

Far demonstrative pronouns behave syntactically like their near counterparts (see 14.2.3.2): ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἄνθρωπος (before the article) and ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος (after the noun) are the options.

SemanticsSemantics: Pronoun – Demonstrative far (Reference to discourse objects)

Our semantic description of the near demonstrative pronoun was that it pointed to something near the speaker in the world or discourse. The far demonstrative pronoun has the same basic function except that it points to something far from the speaker instead of near. Sometimes, this involves distinguishing one object from another that was just mentioned:

Example 194Refers to something in the discourse

The winds beat against τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ [that house] and it fell (Matt 7:27)

The house referred to with the demonstrative, ‘that house,’ is contrasted with the previous house that did not fall in the storm.

The far demonstrative is also commonly used in temporal phrases where a time that is distant from the speaker is referred to:

Example 195Refers to a distant time

ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς (Matt 3:1)

In those days, John the Baptist arrived

By using the far demonstrative, the narrator describes the days of John the Baptist as being temporally distant from his own.

Lesson 22.3 quiz

Check your understanding

2 questions · self-graded

1What is the neuter nominative singular of the far demonstrative ἐκεῖνος?
ἐκεῖνονἐκείνηἐκείνουἐκεῖνο
2Which word orders are correct for ‘that man’ with the far demonstrative?Select all that apply
ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἄνθρωποςὁ ἐκεῖνος ἄνθρωποςὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνοςἄνθρωπος ὁ ἐκεῖνος

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