A study of purpose, result, and causal hypotaxis in early Indo-European gospel versions

Abstract

This study examines purpose, result, and causal hypotaxis in the gospel versions of selected early Indo-European dialects (Greek, Latin, Gothic, and Old English). The study describes the structure of each clausal type as to the conjunctions employed, variations in word order, the use of mood, and the nuances of aspect and Aktionsart, where these features are applicable. The hypotaxis of Latin, Gothic, and Old English is subsequently compared and contrasted to their respective Vorlage in order to determine the degree of native syntax and calquing. A conjunction in each language does not always correspond to a particular conjunction in the Vorlage. In addition, each language maintains its own syntactic constraints in regard to mood and aspect. Although the word order of the Vorlage is often imitated, especially in the case of the patterns exhibited in Latin and Gothic with the Greek, numerous discrepancies occur, which are particularly salient and prominent in the syncrisis of Latin and Old English.