Noun – 3rd Declension -υς

ObjectivesLearning objectives

• The morphology of 3rd declension nouns ending in -υς
• The semantics of the genitive when referring to eventuality participants

VocabularyVocabulary

1 This is contrary to Porter’s (1992:43–44) claim that it is the Luso form that is [+expectation]. There is a logical reason why the Luo form would be used for this meaning – the event has, in some sense, already begun in the present, since it has been decided upon. Porter’s claim is falsifiable: if the Luso form is used to refer to an eventuality that is not expected, it is not [+expectation]. In Matt 27:42, those mocking Jesus on the cross say ‘let him come down from the cross καὶ πιστεύσομεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν [and we will believe him].’ There is no inference that the speakers expect Jesus to come down from the cross, nor do they expect to believe in him. It is a future prediction about what will happen if Jesus does come down, but Jesus getting down from the cross is contrary to their expectations.

MorphologyMorphology: Noun – 3rd Declension -υς

• The final υ in -υς nouns never contracts, even if the ending begins with a vowel
• The acc sg attaches a ν, rather than the more common α ending
• The dat sg has a diaeresis over the ι to show that the υ and ι have not contracted into a diphthong, but are pronounced as separate vowel sounds

SyntaxSyntax-Semantics: Noun – Genitive (6 – Eventuality participants)

Noun – Genitive: all 5 parts on one page →Also in Lesson 3.2, Lesson 7.2, Lesson 26.3, Lesson 28.4

Some nouns refer to eventualities. A genitive following such an eventuality-referring noun may refer to a participant in that eventuality. When this is the case, the genitive is interpreted in the same way as a subject or object in the verb that relates to the eventuality-noun. The verb ἀποκάλυπτω and the corresponding noun ἀποκάλυψις demonstrate this:

• Who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace to reveal his son in me

In Gal 1:16, the verb ἀποκαλύπτω takes an accusative argument, and this direct object refers to the thing revealed. In 1 Pet 4:13, the phrase ‘in the revelation of his glory’ refers to the event of Jesus’ glory being revealed. The thing revealed, ‘his glory’, corresponds to the object of the verb ἀποκαλύπτω, but in the absence of a verb, the thing revealed is given in the genitive case rather than the accusative. This kind of genitive is, therefore, called an objective genitive.

Based on this description, there are two conditions for classifying a genitive as an objective genitive. First, the noun must refer to the same eventuality as the verb from which it is derived. This means not only that the noun must be related to a verb but also that the noun must refer to an eventuality in that particular instance. Second, the semantic role of the verb’s object must match the semantic role of the genitive associated with the corresponding noun. In the examples above, the thing revealed is both the direct object of the verb and the genitive that follows the nominalization. This description also allows us to define what a subjective genitive is: a genitive that corresponds to the subject of a verb that is related to an eventuality-noun.