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The Perfect System: Middle/Passive Voice
As we learned in our last lesson, the PERFECT MIDDLE/PASSIVE is formed by adding the PRIMARY MIDDLE ENDINGS directly to the PERFECT STEM. If the PERFECT STEM ends in a vowel (e.g. λέλυ-), the inflection pattern is straightforward. If the PERFECT STEM ends in a CONSONANT, however, a number of sound changes arise. Observe the following inflection of the PERFECT MIDDLE/PASSIVE of δείκνυμι.
The Perfect Indicative Middle/Passive of δείκνυμι, δείξω, ἔδειξα, δέδειχα, δέδειγμαι, ἐδείχθην (stem: δεικ-) (S 406; GPH p. 96)
|
δέδειγμαι |
δεδείγμεθα |
|
δέδειξαι |
δέδειχθε |
|
δέδεικται |
δεδειγμένοι εἰσί |
The Perfect Middle/Passive Infinitive: δεδεῖχθαι
As you can see, when the final consonant of a PERFECT STEM (here –κ) encounters the initial sound of the middle/passive personal endings, a number of sound changes occur. Though at first blush these sound changes may appear random, they are in fact regular and predictable (S 82-87, 103). In some cases, however, no sound change could ever make the verb comfortable to pronounce in Greek. In such situations, Greek replaces the – to them – unpronounceable verb form with a PERIPHRASTIC form, here δεδειγμένοι εἰσί.
In most languages, certain verb tenses are expressed not by one inflected form, but by two or more words that together express a single verbal action. Such combinations of words are called PERIPHRASTIC (< Greek περίφρασις talking around or circumlocution).
For example, in the English present tense, we can say He goes and He does go.
- He goes: not periphrastic, since the action is expressed in one verb form.
- He does go: periphrastic, since both words together form one verbal action.
In English, some verb tenses are always periphrastic. In the future tense, for example, we say:
- He will go.
As we can see in the above inflection of δείκνυμι, Greeks did not even try to say the 3rd person plural form (which would require somehow pronouncing *δέ-δεικ-νται). For this person and number, Greek instead uses a PERIPHRASTIC verb form (S 599). We discuss how to create and inflect these forms later in the lesson.
For now, let us review the SOUND CHANGES that do regularly occur when PRIMARY or SECONDARY MIDDLE/PASSIVE ENDINGS meet consonant stems, i.e., stems that end in labials, palatals, dentals, or nasals. (Note: A handout of the following charts is available for download here: Perfect Middle Consonant Chart).
|
Labials (π, β, φ) |
Palatals (κ, γ, χ) |
Dentals (τ, δ, θ, ζ) |
Nasals (μ, ν) |
|
|
Before |
Become |
Become |
Become |
Become |
|
μ (μαι, μην…) |
μ |
γ |
σ |
σ |
|
σ (σαι, σο) |
ψ |
ξ |
(drops out) |
[not used] |
|
τ (ται, το) |
π |
κ |
σ |
ν |
|
σθ (σθε, σθαι) |
φθ |
χθ |
σθ |
νθ |
Or, to put it another way:
|
Labials (π, β, φ) |
Palatals (κ, γ, χ) |
Dentals (τ, δ, θ, ζ) |
Nasals (μ, ν) |
|
|
Before |
Become |
Become |
Become |
Become |
|
μ (μαι, μην…) |
μμαι, μμην |
γμαι, γμην |
σμαι, σμην |
σμαι, σμην |
|
σ (σαι, σο) |
ψαι, ψο |
ξαι, ξο |
σαι, σο |
[not us