The Accusative Case

The case of limitation or extension.

The most common use of the Accusative is as the object of a transitive verb (a verb whose action passes over to the noun). This use is also described as the Accusative with Transitive Verbs.

In this use, the Accusative limits in an indirect way. It functions as an adverbial modifier. It modifies a verb rather than serving as a direct object. It is sometimes referred to as “the Accusative of General Reference.” This is not very common in the N.T. except in the case of the pure adverb.

The word in the Accusative indicates how the action of the verb takes place. It answers the question “how?”.

The word in the Accusative indicates what the action of the verb refers to by answering the question “with reference to what?” This use also includes the Accusative of General Reference, i.e. a word in the Accusative used much like a subject with an infinitive.

In this usage, the verb and its object are derived from the same root. It is used sometimes for emphasis. Basically, it repeats and explains more fully the idea expressed by the verb.

Some verbs require two objects to complete their meaning. This use is really an expansion of the Accusative of Direct Object from one object to two objects. Sometimes it may even use three Accusatives.

This is sometimes referred to as the Accusative of the person or of the thing.

This use is really sort of an apposition. Some call it an “object compliment” because it completed the meaning of the object and specifies the same person or thing as the object. Sometimes εἰς will occur with the predicate object.

The double Accusative occurs with verbs of clothing, unclothing, anointing, saying, etc. It also occurs with causative verbs. Also included here is the so called “Accusative of Oaths”.

A noun or pronoun in the Accusative is accompanied by a participle in the Accusative. These are disconnected from the sentence. This has been described as the Accusative of General Reference with the participle agreeing with it. Compare the Genitive Absolute.

© 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.