Searching for element at beginning of clause

[Harvey]

Probably a simple question: How, when searching for an element using a construct search, do I indicate that I am searching only for clauses in which nothing precedes the element in question?

[Mark Allison]

Use the [FIELD] command and set your Scope to "Clause".

 

 

[mgvh]

This made me think to do a search for και and δε in the NT to introduce new clauses.

I'm using the FIELD command to avoid the use of και when it's just a conjunction not starting a new clause. Also note that the δε search had to be set to WITHIN 2 words. I ran one search. Used the KEEP option on the Hits graph and ran the second search to get the results in the attached image.

 

It clearly shows Mark's paratactic style preferring και as compared to the other gospel authors who use the more grammatically preferred δε.

Some other quick observations:

• Matthew's genealogy in the first chapter skews all the δε hits!
• It's interesting that Luke uses και far more frequently in Luke than Acts. Perhaps this reflects Luke's use of Mark for the gospels, and he was on his own for Acts.
• Note that Revelation really only uses και. It's another indicator that the Gospel of John, the Johannine letters, and Revelation are not from the same hand.

[ScottDF]

Excellent search and graph. Another possibility is that the literature being written or factors not yet discussed account for the disproportion in Revelation in the same way Luke & Acts differ in proportion. Not yet convinced, but having been taught this new technique here, you've certainly whetted my appetite for further investigation. Thanks @mgvh.

[Harvey]

I can't figure out how to apply the suggested method to construct a search for, e.g., qatal verbs at the beginning of a clause. Thanks for your help.

[Robert Holmstedt]

Harvey,

You need to use the Hebrew construct search and the PLACE command. See below.

 

 

*Note: this will only work with verse divisions, i.e., first word in a *verse*. For *clauses* you'd need to buy one of the syntactic databases. 

Edited July 6, 2022 by Robert Holmstedt

[Harvey]

Thank you! (I have your syntax database.)

[mbcvida]

does this work? I used place 1-2 to account for waw-consecutive verbs

[c. stirling bartholomew]

On 3/25/2022 at 10:56 AM, Harvey said:

Probably a simple question: How, when searching for an element using a construct search, do I indicate that I am searching only for clauses in which nothing precedes the element in question?

 

Not really a simple question. Sounds to me like you are searching for a constituent which marks a clause boundary. Or perhaps not. Are you searching for the first word following a clause boundary marker?

 

You can let somebody else do the work for you by utilizing a syntax database. On the other hand, you can do the work and isolate a class of constituents which regularly appear at a clause boundary define that set of constituents and refer to it in your search parameters. You learn more doing this than leaning on others research.

 

Postscript: This is why I rarely referenced discourse modules for the GNT. I was doing discourse analysis. I wasn't particularly interested in having it done for me by someone else. I did take a look at S. Levinsohn's analysis at some point. But it was infrequent. I found it hard to understand.

Edited July 7, 2022 by c. stirling bartholomew

[Robert Holmstedt]

Identifying the beginning of clauses is not controversial for the Hebrew Bible. The rare disputed ones are in poetry and concern possible enjambment.

 

Using the syntax databases with a brute search like described above is not really using anyone's "research," but simply gaining a finer grained search capability than the beginning of clauses verses. Using a non-syntax database search would only provide information for the beginning of the first clause in a verse; there is no way to configure a non-syntax search to find the results in the second, third, fourth, etc. clause in longer verses. 

 

I also submit that we all build on previous research, otherwise one could never use commentaries, histories, archaeological reports, etc. 

Edited July 9, 2022 by Robert Holmstedt