Monday 2 June 2008

Syntax

In Modern Greek, you identify the sentences by identifying the number of the verbs and the conjunctions. Afterwards, you analyse the sentence as it follows:

Verb
Subject in Nominative Case
Direct Object in Accusative case
Indirect Object as a Prepositional Phrase (Note 1) or in Genitive Case (Note 2)

Then, you are looking to identify the adjectives that will be in the same gender, case and number with the noun that they refer to.
Later, you find the adverbs or other prepositional phrases.
Lastly, you identify the participles which you analyse as in the case of a verb.

Note 1: The Indirect Object was expressed in Ancient Greek and Latin with Dative or Genitive Case. In English in the case of an indirect object  the Prepositional Phrase is translated mainly with the preposition TO, FOR, AT.
Note 2: In Modern Greek, the genitive case suggest mainly possession and is translated in English with the preposition OF. In certain cases, (as with the weak type of the personal pronoun) the genitive case is the indirect object in modern Greek.  The Greek Cypriots use the genitive case to express the indirect object.

EXAMPLE1:
Ο Κώστας χάρισε ένα ρολόι στη Μαρία.
Kostas gave (as a present) a watch to Maria.

ΡΗΜΑ (VERB) = χάρισε
ΥΠΟΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (SUBJECT) = (ο) Κώστας
ΑΜΕΣΟ ΑΝΤΙΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (DIRECT OBJECT) = (ένα) ρολόι
ΕΜΜΕΣΟ ΑΝΤΙΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (INDIRECT OBJECT) = στη Μαρία

The Greek Cypriots say
Ο Κώστας χάρισε ένα ρολόι της Μαρίας.

EXAMPLE 2:
Όταν δω τη Σοφία αύριο το πρωί, θα της δώσω το βιβλίο της.
When I 'll see Sophia tomorrow morning, I 'll give her her book.

1st sentence (subordinate sentence)
Όταν δω τη Σοφία αύριο το πρωί,

ΡΗΜΑ (VERB) = δω
ΥΠΟΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (SUBJECT) = (εγώ)
ΑΜΕΣΟ ΑΝΤΙΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (DIRECT OBJECT) = τη Σοφία
ΕΠΙΡΗΜΑ (ADVERB) = αύριο
ΑΙΤΙΑΤΙΚΗ ΧΡΟΝΟΥ (ACCUSATIVE OF TIME) = το πρωί
ΧΡΟΝΙΚΟΣ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ (TEMPORAL CONJUNCTION) = όταν

2nd sentence (main sentence)
θα της δώσω το βιβλίο της.

ΡΗΜΑ (VERB) = θα δώσω
ΥΠΟΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (SUBJECT) = (εγώ)
ΑΜΕΣΟ ΑΝΤΙΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (DIRECT OBJECT) = (το) βιβλίο
ΕΜΜΕΣΟ ΑΝΤΙΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (INDIRECT OBJECT) = της (the first "της", the indirect personal pronoun)
ΚΤΗΤΙΚΗ ΑΝΤΩΝΥΜΙΑ (POSSESSIVE PRONOUN)= της ( the pronoun after "το βιβλίο" ) that indicate that it's Sophia's book.

EXAMPLE 3:
Της Ελένης της αρέσει να παίζει κιθάρα.
or
Στην Ελένη της αρέσει να παίζει κιθάρα.
She likes to play guitar.

1st sentence (main sentence)
Της Ελένης της αρέσει / Στην Ελένη της αρέσει

ΡΗΜΑ (VERB) = αρέσει
ΥΠΟΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (SUBJECT) = να παίζει κιθάρα
ΕΜΜΕΣΟ ΑΝΤΙΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (INDIRECT OBJECT) = της
ΕΠΕΞΗΓΗΜΑΤΙΚΟΣ ΠΡΟΣΔΙΟΡΙΣΜΟΣ (EXPLANATORY ADJUNCT) = της Ελένης / στην Ελένη (it is the word that explains the pronoun "της").

2nd sentence (subordinate sentence)
να παίζει κιθάρα.

ΡΗΜΑ (VERB) = παίζει
ΥΠΟΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (SUBJECT) = (αυτή/ η Ελένη)
ΑΜΕΣΟ ΑΝΤΙΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ (DIRECT OBJECT) = κιθάρα

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