Need a new search

If you didn't find what you were looking for, try a new search!

Nominative Case

Nominative Case

The case of specific designation, the naming case.

The Subject Nominative

 

This use denotes more specifically who or what produces the action or presents the state expressed by the finite verb. It is otherwise known as the “Nominative of Apposition.”

The Predicate Nominative

This is the use of the Nominative case in apposition after copulative verbs, i.e. εἰμι , γίνομαι, etc. The verb is often left out and must be supplied from the context. This use is sometimes called the “subject compliment.” It occurs where one would expect to find the Accusative case.

The Nominative Absolute

Here the Nominative case stands without connection to the rest of the sentence. It is used in titles to call attention emphatically to the person or thing spoken of. It is also called “the suspended,” “independence” or “hanging” Nominative. It refers to an idea. Most of the examples could fit into other categories.

The Nominative in Exclamations

This use of the Nominative is a sort of interjectional Nominative, which expresses feeling. It occurs without a verb to stress the distinctiveness of a thought.

The Parenthetical Nominative

This use is very similar to the Nominative Absolute. Its function is to explain or expand. Dana and Mantey refer to it under the “Independent Nominative.” Cf. the Nominative Absolute above.

The Nominative of Apposition

This use denotes more specifically who or what produces the action or presents the state expressed by the finite verb. It is otherwise known as the “Subject Nominative.”

The Nominative of Appellation

In this use, a noun or title retains the Nominative form irrespective of contextual relationships. Sometimes it is practically equivalent to quotation marks.

The Nominative Case Unaltered

The noun is not altered to the case of the noun with which it stands in apposition. […]

Nominative Case2023-12-11T12:16:34-08:00

Vocative Case

Vocative Case

The case of direct address.

Direct Address

Direct address is the idea in each construction. This is the only use of the Vocative Case.

The Use of the Interjection ὦ with the Vocative

This use gives a kind of solemnity where it is found. It expresses feeling in most of its occurrences. It may have a tone of censure. It was sometimes used in formal address. In the N.T. it adds emphasis. It only occurs 17 times in the N.T.

Apposition to the Vocative

The Nominative and Vocative are freely used side by side in apposition. Two Vocative forms may also be used appositionally.

The Vocative in the Predicate

This use is rarely found in the N.T. and then only in the nature of quotations or translation.

Vocatively Adjectives

Occasionally an adjective in the vocative case is found.

The Article Used with the Vocative

The article is used with the Vocative to ascribe special definiteness to the object of address. This use occurs 60 times in the N.T.

© 2017 Luther Walker | All Rights Reserved | ISBN-10: 0-9993211-0-2, ISBN-13: 978-0-9993211-0-2 | This book or any potion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

Vocative Case2023-12-11T12:16:55-08:00

Nouns, Articles, and Cases

Nouns, Articles, and Case Endings

Case is determined by function, not form

In the Greek language, it is important to understand that the relationship of the noun to the other words in the sentence always governs the case. Hence, although Genitive and Ablative share the same endings, they are clearly distinguished within the context and function of the sentence. There are eight cases in the Greek language: Nominative, Genitive, Ablative, Dative, Locative, Instrumental, Accusative, and Vocative.

Vocative Case

The case of direct address.

The Nominative Case

The case of specific designation, the naming case.

The Genitive Case

The case of definition or description.

The Dative Case

The case of personal interest. It expresses the indirect object.

The Locative Case

The case of position or location.

The Instrumental Case

The case of means or association.

The Accusative Case

The case of limitation or extension.

© 2017 Luther Walker | All Rights Reserved | ISBN-10: 0-9993211-0-2, ISBN-13: 978-0-9993211-0-2 | This book or any potion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

Nouns, Articles, and Cases2023-12-11T12:23:52-08:00

The Greek Noun Declensions

Declensions

Class Notes Download Second Declension

In linguistic terms, declension refers to the way nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in languages, particularly inflected ones like Greek, Latin, or Hebrew, change their form to express different grammatical categories such as case (nominative, genitive, etc.), number (singular, plural), and gender (masculine, feminine, neuter). In Greek and Hebrew, declensions are crucial because they help to indicate the function of a word in a sentence, such as whether it is the subject, object, or shows possession, among other roles.

First Declension: The first declension is characterized by long vowel endings like -η and -α in the nominative singular. Typically includes nouns that are mostly feminine but also some masculine nouns.

Second Declension: The second declension is categorized by o class vowels. Masculine nouns generally have endings in -ος (e.g., λόγος) in the nominative singular, while neuter nouns end in -ον.

Third Declension: This declension is more irregular and diverse, containing nouns of all three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter). The nouns in the third declension can have various stem endings and exhibit more complex case endings, such as -ς (e.g., βασιλεύς).

Gender refers to a system of noun classification that affects how nouns and related words (such as adjectives, pronouns, and verbs) are inflected in a language. In languages with grammatical gender, nouns are categorized into specific gender classes, which often determine the form of associated words (e.g., adjectives and pronouns) and can sometimes affect the verb conjugation.

In Koine Greek, there are three grammatical genders:

  1. Masculine: This gender is often used for nouns referring to males but also includes many inanimate objects and abstract concepts. For example, ἀδελφός (adelphos) means “brother” and is […]
The Greek Noun Declensions2024-10-02T14:48:04-07:00
Go to Top