Search

Abstract An infinitive is an indeclinable form, derived from a verbal stem, whereas a verbal noun is a declinable substantive derived from the root of the verb. In Greek, infinitives were integrated into the tense-aspect and voice systems. In historical Greek it is synchronically far from obvious that the infinitival endings have anything to do with nominal morphology. Nevertheless, it is possible to analyze most of the infinitival morphemes as originally nominal suffixes or nominal suffix combin…

Abstract The infinitive that we are familiar with from Ancient Greek classical literature represents a later stage of development, not the original state of affairs. In early Greek, we can observe the characteristic tendency for the infinitive to progressively become more like the finite verb to the effect that each infinitival expression is almost equivalent to some finite counterpart. As a first step, the infinitive became capable of passive meaning. Then tense distinctions were carried over to…

Abstract A great number of Greek place names are arguably of ʻPre-Greekʼ origin. In contrast to those cases, there are toponyms of genuine Greek origin. The term ‘Pre-Greek’ may refer to one or more peoples (of Indo-European or non-Indo-European origin) in the geographical region of continental Greece and the Aegean islands before or during the settlement of Greeks in this area. When a toponym cannot be readily analyzed and interpreted solely on the basis of the lexical and grammatical means of the language in which it is attested, it is supposed to belon…