Genitive absolute

In Ancient Greek grammar, the genitive absolute (Latin: genitivus absolutus) is a grammatical construction consisting of a participle and often a noun which are both in the genitive case, very similar to the ablative absolute in Latin. A genitive absolute construction serves as a dependent clause, usually at the beginning of a sentence, in which the genitive noun is subject of the dependent clause and the participle takes on the role of predicate.

The term "absolute" comes from the Latin "absolutus", literally meaning "made loose". This comes from the general truth that the genitive absolute does not refer to anything in the independent clause. However, although this is often true, there are many exceptions, notably in the New Testament and in Koine generally. [cite journal|last = Fuller | first = Lois K.|title = The "Genitive Absolute" in New Testament/Hellenistic Greek: A Proposal for Clearer Understanding|journal=Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism|volume=3|pages=142–167|year=2006|url = http://divinity.mcmaster.ca/pages/jgrchj/volume3/JGRChJ3-7_Fuller.pdf | accessdate = 2006-12-09]

Conjunctions in different tenses

All three participle tenses are used in forming a genitive absolute. This results in different meanings of text and different translations, because of different relations in time between the independent and the dependent clause. "Present participles" are used when the information in the dependent clause happens "during" the independent clause, and are therefore translated as such. Either such a translated genitive absolute begins with, for example, "while" or "as", or a present participle is used.

"Aorist participles" are used when the dependent clause takes place before the independent clause. This means that instead of "while" and "as", "after" and "when" are the conjunctions in translations, or a perfect participle is applied and not a present one. "Future participles", which are less common than their present and aorist counterparts, give information about what "will" or "might" be.

Apart from translations with these conjunctions, others are also frequently used while translating a genitive absolute, such as "because", "however", or "although".

Examples

Below are two examples of the genitive absolute, in different tenses.

linguistic example
num=1
text=polytonic|τῶν ἀνδρῶν πολεμούντων, αἱ γυναῖκες μόναι οίκοι εἰσίν
gloss1="tōn andrōn polemoúntōn, hai gunaīkes mónai oíkoi eisín"
gloss2="While the men are waging war, the women are at home by themselves."This first example shows how a genitive absolute with a present participle is used with simultaneous actions. The independent clause is "polytonic|αἱ γυναῖκες μόναι οίκοι εἰσίν" ("...the women are at home by themselves"). The dependent clause and genitive absolute in this example is "polytonic|τῶν ἀνδρῶν πολεμούντων" ("While the men are waging war"). It explains to the reader why the women are home alone, and yet is additional and not required information. Note the usage of the conjunction "while", indicating the two facts occurring at the same time.

As pointed out before, when translating to English, changing the participle into a finite verb in the infinite mood is not necessary: "The men waging war..." is equally correct.

linguistic example
num=2
text=polytonic|τοῦ δεσπότου κελεύσαντος, οἱ δοῦλοι ἢργαζον
gloss1="toū despótou keleúsantos, hoi doūloi ērgazon"
gloss2="After their master has ordered it, the slaves begin to work."This example shows a genitive absolute with an aorist participle. The independent clause in this sentence, "polytonic|οἱ δοῦλοι ἢργαζον", explains what happens ("...the slaves begin to work."). The genitive absolute, being "polytonic|τοῦ δεσπότου κελεύσαντος", provides the reader with additional information ("After the/their master has ordered (it)..."). Here, note the conjunction "after", which indicates the two facts do "not" happen simultaneously, as they do with the present genitive absolute.

NB: Here too, usage of the finite verb in the dependent clause is no necessity: "The master having ordered (them) so..." can be used, as with present participles.

References

ee also

* Ablative absolute
* Accusative absolute, a similar grammatical construction.