The late Latin coepi + Infinitive construction: Evidence from translated texts

Hannah Rosén*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

The coepi + infinitive construction, whose use in the framework of past-tense narrative underwent considerable expansion in Late Latin, is recorded (ThLL s.v. coepi, col. 1424.32-37) as corresponding in Biblical and Patristic sources to the Greek aorist, viz. of punctual actionality. In the present study a dépouillement of works in translation, into Latin (from Hebrew, Greek) and from Latin (into Greek, Middle Irish), comes up with several disparate shapes of the matches to the Latin construction, which - put together with internal Latin evidence - leads to the conclusion that coepi + infinitive, effective in non-grammatical, discretionary domains, is indifferent to the actional distinction durative: punctual.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationClassica et Mediaevalia
PublisherMuseum Tusculanum Press
Pages189-215
Number of pages27
ISBN (Print)9788763540643
StatePublished - 2012

Publication series

NameClassica et Mediaevalia
Volume63
ISSN (Print)0106-5815
ISSN (Electronic)1604-9411

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2012 Classica et Mediaevalia. All rights reserved.

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