6. The Tenses Flashcards
What two things do the tenses communicate?
**Time **(when the action happens) and **aspect **(the nature of the action – process, completed etc.)
How are tenses distinguished?
- adding **prefixes **and suffixes to the stem
- by having a different set of endings
What is this prefix called?
An augment
Define present tense
Present – process or undefined
I am untying, I untie
Define future tense
Future – undefined
I will untie
Define imperfect tense
Past – process
I was untying
Define aorist tense
Past – undefined
I untied
Define **process **aspect
The process aspect means that the action is being viewed as part of an ongoing process, either continuous or repeated.
Define undefined aspect
- It is truly undefined, meaning nothing is being implied at all about the manner in which the action occurred.
- It is deliberately being used as opposed to using the process aspect, thus a punctilliar one-time sense is meant.
What is the difference between the aorist and imperfect tenses?
The aorist carries the undefined aspect and the imperfect the process aspect.
What are the three possibilities for the imperfect tense?
- Continuous process (I was untying)
- Repeated process (I used to untie)
- A process in the past that is viewed as just beginning (I began to untie)
What happens when an ε augment is added to a word beginning with a vowel?
A contraction takes place.
ε augment + α = …
η
ε augment + ε = …
η
ε augment + ο = …
ω
ε augment + η = …
η
ε augment + ι = …
ι
ε augment + υ = …
υ
ε augment + ω = …
ω
How does an ε augment affect a compound verb?
The ε augment comes between the preposition and the verb’s stem
απελυον
Watch out for elision!
What is the difference between contractions that occur when an augment is added to a verb that begins with a vowel, and an elision that happens when a preposition is followed by a vowel?
A vowel at the beginning of a verb combines with the augment (contraction), while a vowel at the end of a preposition is normally destroyed by the augment (elision)
What happens when the σ suffix is added to verbs which end in particular consonants such as π?
A σ suffix will often combine with the final consonant of the verb’s stem.
βλεπω – present
βλεψω* – future*
σ suffix + π = …
ψ
σ suffix + β = …
ψ
σ suffix + φ = …
ψ
σ suffix + τ = …
σ
σ suffix + δ = …
σ
σ suffix + θ = …
σ
σ suffix + ζ = …
σ
σ suffix + κ = …
ξ
σ suffix + γ = …
ξ
σ suffix + χ = …
ξ
σ suffix + σσ = …
ξ
If a verb begins with η or ω what tense is it likely to be in?
Imperfect or Aorist
(It is likely to have been an α, ε or ο to which an ε has been added)
If a stem ends in a ψ, ξ or a single σ what tense is it likely to be in?
Future or Aorist
Almost no verbs end in a ψ, ξ or a single σ. The verb must have been something else originally.
Which tense?
Imperfect
(I have)
Which tense?
Future – note the different accent.
(I have)
Which tense?
Aorist
(I have)
What happens to tenses with a weak ε (-εω verbs) in the imperfect tense?
They follow the same pattern of contractions as the present tense.
What happens to tenses with a weak ε (-εω verbs) in the future and aorist tenses?
They gain a σ suffix:
- the ε lengthens to a η
- because they gain the σ their endings become identical to λυω
