Verb – Luo active subjunctive singular & Conjunction – ἵνα

ObjectivesLearning objectives

• The concept of modality
• The morphology, syntax, and semantics of the subjunctive mood
• The syntax and semantics of the conjunction ἵνα

VocabularyVocabulary

NoteGeneral Greek: Verbal mood and modality

When we introduced the term “verbal mood,” we defined it as a marking on a verb that refers to whether the event is real or not. A related technical term is modality, which is the realm of meaning that deals with eventualities that are unreal in some way. All different kinds of words can be modal. For example, an adjective like possible is a modal word, since a possible answer is not one that is true in the real world. Notice, we have defined “modality” as having to do with meaning. In contrast, “verbal mood” refers fundamentally to a marking on a verb, so it cannot be a marking on an adjective. This marking tells us whether the situation is unreal or not. Because modality is the meaning category that deals with the unreal, we can define verbal mood as the verbal marking of modality (see Semantics D).

GrammarGrammar Topic: Verb – Luo active subjunctive singular & Conjunction – ἵνα

Two related grammar topics are covered in this lesson. First, the subjunctive mood (abbreviated subj) is so called because the form is often, but not always, found in subordinate clauses. However, it is not the case that every subordinate context requires a subjunctive, e.g. ὅτι takes indicative mood. Other subordinating particles require the subjunctive mood after them, one very common one being ἵνα, our second topic for this lesson.

The subjunctive has distinctions in aspect and voice but not tense. Therefore, there are a Luo and Aorist subjunctive, but there is no Eluon subjunctive. Since the Eluon form has the same aspect as Luo but it is in the past tense, there is no Eluon subjunctive form. We will also not see a Luso subjunctive for the same reason. The subjunctive, rather, is only found in Luo, the Aorist, and Leluka, the three aspects we have seen. The typical voice distinctions also hold: active and medio-passive in Luo and active, middle, and passive in Aorist. In Leluka, we only see the active subjunctive, and it is quite rare.

MorphologyMorphology: Verb – Luo active subjunctive singular

• Subj verbs are characterised by a lengthened theme vowel, ο → ω, and ε → η
• In the 1s the vowel was already ω, so it looks identical to the ind form
• When the vowel lengthens in the 2s and 3s, the ι becomes subscript, e.g. -εις → -ηις → -ῃς
• The stem and accenting are identical to the Luo ind

SyntaxSyntax: Verb – Luo active subjunctive singular & Conjunction – ἵνα

The subjunctive is often found in subordinate contexts, but it is only found after certain verbs or particles, such as ἵνα. This particle parallels ὅτι in having two primary syntactic functions. It may be used as an adjunct (introducing a purpose clause) or as a complementizer (a conjunction that introduces a complement clause) with a special class of verbs where it introduces the content of the verb. In both cases, it almost always takes a verb in subjunctive mood after it, though the future is also possible:

SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Luo active subjunctive singular & Conjunction – ἵνα

Verbs may refer to content that may or may not occur, and a purpose is something that motivates someone but that he or she might not obtain. Both of these factors make the situation described by the subjunctive “unreal” in some way:

The desire for having others treat you in a certain way is not necessarily a reflection of how others treat you in the real world, since it is only a desire to be treated. When Paul wrote Romans, he had not seen the Roman church, and no such gift had been imparted. Paul will end up in Rome and will presumably impart such a gift, but when he wrote that it was his intention to do so, he did not yet know if it would happen, so ἵνα with the subjunctive is used.