2012-04-27T20:34:17Z

Esploranto:

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 [[Latin grammar#Ablative_absolute|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; although this is often true, there are many exceptions, notably in the [[New Testament]] and in [[Koine Greek|Koine]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Conjunctions in different tenses==

All three participle [[Grammatical tense|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''.

==Absolute constructions==

Absolute constructions occur with other [[grammatical case]]s in [[Indo-European languages]], such as [[accusative absolute]], [[Latin grammar#Ablative_absolute|ablative absolute]] in Latin, dative absolute in [[Gothic language|Gothic]] and [[Old Church Slavonic]], and locative absolute in [[Vedic Sanskrit]].<ref>{{cite book|page=149|author=Benjamin W. Fortson IV|title=Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction|location=Malden, MA|publisher=Blackwell Publishing|year=2004|isbn=1-4051-0315-9}}</ref> Compare also [[nominative absolute]] in English.

==Examples==

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

'''τῶν ἀνδρῶν πολεμούντων''', αἱ γυναῖκες μόναι οἴκοι εἰσίν [tōn andrōn polemoúntōn, hai gunaīkes mónai oíkoi eisín]

'''''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 "{{lang|grc|αἱ γυναῖκες μόναι οίκοι εἰσίν}}" ("...the women are at home by themselves"). The dependent clause and genitive absolute in this example is "{{lang|grc|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.

When translating into English, failure to render the Greek participle into a finite clause often yields a stilted or even ungrammatical result: "The men waging war, the women are at home..." is hardly acceptable.

'''τοῦ δεσπότου κελεύσαντος''', οἱ δοῦλοι ἢργαζον [toū despótou keleúsantos, hoi doūloi ērgazon]

'''''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, "{{lang|grc|οἱ δοῦλοι ἢργαζον}}", explains what happens ("...the slaves begin to work."). The genitive absolute, being "{{lang|grc|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.

In this case, a more direct rendition, with 'having' as an overt indicator of temporal sequence, is possible if somewhat stilted: "The master having ordered it, the slaves began to work."

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://katanik.blogspot.com.ar/2010/06/genitive-absolute.html Katanik], blog entry explaining the genitive absolute in Ancient Greek in few easy terms.

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