Verb – ἵστημι

ObjectivesLearning objectives

• The argument structure of verbs that take ἵνα as a complementizer
• The irregular morphology of the verb ἵστημι, and the semantics of its different forms

VocabularyVocabulary

NoteVerbs with ἵνα

Although the complementizer ὅτι is used to signal that a verb takes an argument with content, some verbs take content but do not allow ὅτι. The verb δέομαι, for example, introduces its content with ἵνα. The thing asked for or requested is not real in the sense that the desire reflected in the request has not been actualized yet (or else the request wouldn’t be made!). As something that is “unreal” in this way, the complementizer ἵνα is used, which normally signals content that has some hypothetical element to it.

NoteIndicative and Infinitive

• ἵστημι has two Aorist forms, one transitive (which can be passivized) and the other intransitive
• Transitive Aorist ἵστημι looks like a normal sigmatic Aorist verb (see 14.1.3.1)
• Intransitive Aorist ἵστημι follows the γινώσκω/-βαινω Aorist paradigm (see 18.1.3.1)

NoteParticiples

• The Aorist transitive has the regular Elusa ptcp endings (see 27.1.3.1; 28.2.3.1)
• Aorist intransitive ptcp
• The masc stem is σταντ-, which becomes στάντος in gen, and the expected nom στάντ-ς becomes στάς
• The fem form is στᾶσα, with mixed α/η 1st declension endings
• The neut form is στάν, following the regular neut 3rd declension pattern
• The Aorist psv ptcp has the regular psv ptcp endings (see 33.1.3.1)
• The Leluka ptcp has two possible forms
• The more common form is ἑστηκώς/ἑστηκότος in the masc, ἑστηκῶσα in fem, and ἑστηκός in neut
• The second rarer form has no κ and is ἑστώς/ἑστῶτος in the masc, ἑστῶσα in fem, and ἑστός in neut

SemanticsSemantics: Ἵστημι

The verb ἵστημι often receives different interpretations depending on the verb form. The transitive forms mean ‘to stand someone/something’ in a location, and these forms are the Luo ἵστημι, the Aorist ἔστησα, and the Luso στήσω. The intransitive forms mean ‘to stand oneself up’ or ‘to be standing,’ and these forms are the Aorist ἔστην (meaning ‘to stand up’) as well as the Leluka ἕστηκα and the Luso middle στήσομαι. Finally, the passive forms mean ‘to be stood,’ and these are the Aorist ἐστάθην and the Luso σταθήσομαι. These subtle distinctions in meaning are also present in particle verbs, such as the intransitive Aorist verb ἀνέστην ‘to stand up.’