1. Introduction to Connectives
Connectives vs. Conjunctions
Function vs. Translation
“The point here is to interpret each conjunction as far as possible so that its precise function may be clear” (Robertson, A Grammar, 1177).
Author’s instructions on relating two things together
This section of the class will provide an overview of the most common connectives used in the Greek NT. The term “connective” is used since not all of the words we will discuss are proper conjunctions.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

2. Introduction to Connectives
Each serves a unique function, regardless of translation to English
Indicators of authorial intent
Author’s instructions
It is imperative to think about Greek as Greek, and not based on its translation to English. I know this sounds like a high bar, but it is attainable with at least the major conjunctions, as well as other common words.
Based on choice implying meaning, the choice to use OUN instead of asyndeton is meaningful. It represents the writer’s choice to explicitly relate the two clauses or paragraphs in a specific way that asyndeton would not have accomplished. The choice to use a connective that marks a specific relationship means that the writer wanted this relationship specified.
Connectives instruct the reader how the writer wanted the clauses or phrases connected, what kind of relationship best fit with his objectives.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

3. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Asyndeton
Simplest, unmarked connection
Joins two items of equal status
Nouns, as in a list
Clauses
Paragraphs
Default connective in non-narrative
Asyndeton, the absence of a connective, is the default means of connecting clauses in English. If I were to say “This happened and this happened and this…” I would sound rather childish.
Asyndeton is the absence of any instructions, the ‘non-Hallmark’ option used when “you don’t care enough to send the very best.” The relationship between the two elements is left implicit.
Asyndeton is not necessarily the most common connective in every epistle. Depending on the content, the writer may use connectives that explicitly mark something in the majority of his sentences. The use of asyndeton is understood to mean that did not feel the need or want to provide an explicit constraint on how to relate the two items.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

4. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Καί
Forms the default for narrative (except John)
Joins two items of equal status
Nouns
Clauses
Paragraphs
+ Continuity or Close connection
Adverbial Καί
This section of the class will provide an overview of the most common connectives used in the Greek NT. The term “connective” is used since not all of the words we will discuss are proper conjunctions.
The constraint that distinguishes asyndeton from KAI is the + close connection. Both coordinate, but KAI marks an additional constrain as being present.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

5. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Processing discourse
ORDOYOUNOTKNOWBRETHRENFORIAMSPEAKINGTOTHOSEWHOKNOWTHELAWTHATTHELAWHASJURISDICTIONOVERAPERSONASLONGASHELIVESFORTHEMARRIEDWOMANISBOUNDBYLAWTOHERHUSBANDWHILEHEISLIVINGBUTIFHERHUSBANDDIESSHEISRELEASEDFROMTHELAWCONCERNINGTHEHUSBANDSOTHENIFWHILEHERHUSBANDISLIVIN
I’ll give a prize to whoever can name this passage, or even read it out loud for the class.
Consider the difficulties associated with processing this text. It is difficult to determine where words begin and end let alone identifying clauses and sentences.
God has wired us to break things into smaller chunks in order to be able to process them. It is no wonder that
Prominence Marking in the GNT

6. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Processing discourse
ordoyounotknowbrethrenforiamspeakingtothosewhoknowthelawthatthelawhasjurisdictionoverapersonaslongashelivesforthemarriedwomanisboundbylawtoherhusbandwhileheislivingbutifherhusbanddiessheisreleasedfromthelawconcerningthehusbandsothenifwhileherhusbandislivingsheisjoinedtoanothermansheshallbecalledanadulteressbutifherhusbanddiessheisfreefromthelawsothatsheisnotanadulteressthoughsheisjoinedtoanotherman
Is this any easier. It is English, you all are native speakers of English. What’s the matter?
Prominence Marking in the GNT

7. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Processing discourse
or do you not know brethren for i am speaking to those who know the law that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives for the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living but if her husband dies she is released from the law concerning the husband so then if while her husband is living she is joined to another man she shall be called an adulteress but if her husband dies she is free from the law so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man
Is this any better? The spaces help you process the individual words, but you are on your own as far as clauses and sentences are concerned without capitalization.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

8. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Processing discourse
OrDoYouNotKnowBrethrenForIAmSpeakingToThoseWhoKnowTheLawThatTheLawHasJurisdictionOverAPersonAsLongAsHeLivesForTheMarriedWomanIsBoundByLawToHerHusbandWhileHeIsLivingButIfHerHusbandDiesSheIsReleasedFromTheLawConcerningTheHusbandSoThenIfWhileHerHusbandIsLivingSheIsJoinedToAnotherManSheShallBeCalledAnAdulteressButIfHerHusbandDiesSheIsFreeFromTheLawSoThatSheIsNotAnAdulteressThoughSheIsJoi
What if you just had capitalization instead of spaces? How’s that? It would help you distinguish whether “husband” in line 6 is plural or singular.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

9. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Processing discourse
7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? 2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. 3 So then if, while her husband is living, she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law,
Now we have words and sentences, based on the spacing and punctuation. The numbers even help you find the verses. But how do you process above the clause level? We have the same kinds of processing needs above the clause level as below, we just are not very cognizant of the development markers we use.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

10. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Processing discourse
Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?
For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living;
but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.
So then if, while her husband is living, she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress;
In this version, I have taken it out of the paragraph and begun a new line with each new clause. This display lets me see the connective that governs each main clause, allowing me to better understand how to relate them to one another.
Let’s take a look at an example that illustrates how we mark development in English, and the impact these decisions can have on a discourse.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

11. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Processing discourse
Processing at higher levels
Consider how adding the different bolded words changes how these texts are processed. The first read column reads like a series of events that are not related in any particular way other than simple chronology.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

12. Prominence Marking in the GNTΔέ
Joins two items of equal status
Nouns
Clauses
Paragraphs
- Continuity or Close connection
+ Development (“Mind the gap”)
So DE is similar to asyndeton and KAI in that it joins items of equal status. But instead of saying “close connection” the connective constrains what follows to be read as the next step in the story or argument:
It is something like a warning signal to you that there is a bit of a gap at this point in the discourse. The marker insures that you process the gap properly.
-next step in the story,
-signaling the end of background information and the beginning of the main story
-return from a segue, like me saying “so anyhow.” “Here endeth the bunny trail.”
Prominence Marking in the GNT

13. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Narrative Τότε
Adverb
Marks development in narrative, esp. Matthew
+ Development
Specifies kind of development: temporal
Matthew 2:1-10
Just as in English and many other languages, adverbs are used to mark development. The same holds in BH with WeATaH “and now”.
Prominence Marking in the GNT

14. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Οὖν
Joins two items of equal status
Clauses
Paragraphs
+ Continuity or Close connection
+ Development
Inferentially drawn or concluded from preceding
Romans 5:1
Prominence Marking in the GNT

15. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Διά τοῦτο
Joins two items of equal status
Clauses
Paragraphs
+ Continuity or Close connection
+ Development
Specifies kind of development: causal relation
Luke 12:22
Prominence Marking in the GNT

16. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Γάρ
Joins two items of equal status
Clauses
Paragraphs
+ Continuity or Close connection
- Development
Specifies kind of relation: strengthening or support.
Does not advance the argument
Matthew 10:19-20
Prominence Marking in the GNT

17. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Μέν
Joins two items of equal status
Clauses
Paragraphs
+ Continuity or Close connection
- Development
+ Forward-pointing
Specifies kind of relation: expectation
Luke 10:2
Prominence Marking in the GNT

18. Prominence Marking in the GNT
Ἀλλά
Joins two items of equal status
Phrases/Clauses
Paragraphs
- Continuity or Close connection
- Development
- Forward-pointing
Specifies kind of relation: replacing or correcting
1 Peter 3:15
Prominence Marking in the GNT

19. Connectives Summary-Phil 3
Our application will be in Phil. 3
Prominence Marking in the GNT