PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF GENDER

Up: Part IV: Syntax Previous: PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF NUMBER Next: PECULIARITIES IN THE USE OF PERSON

1013

Construction according to the Sense (926 a).—The real, not the grammatical, gender often determines the agreement: ὦ φίλτατ᾽, ὦ περισσὰ τῑμηθεὶς τέκνον O dearest, O greatly honoured child E. Tro. 735 (this use of the attributive adjective is poetical),

τὰ μειράκια πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαλεγόμενοι

the youths conversing with one another

(P. Lach. 180e)

ταῦτ᾽ ἔλεγεν ἡ ἀναιδὴς αὕτη κεφαλή, ἐξεληλυθώς

this shameless fellow spoke thus when he came out

(D. 21.117)

1014

So in periphrases: ἲ̄ς Τηλεμάχοιο ἐς πατέρα ἰδών mighty Telemachus, gazing at his father π 476,

τὸ δὲ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἡμῶν . . . χαίροντες τῇ ἐκείνων παιδιᾷ

we the elders delighting in their sport

(P. L. 657d)

1015

The masculine is used for person in general: οὐκ ἀνέξεται τίκτονται ἄλλους, οὐκ ἔχουσ᾽ αὐτὴ τέκνα unfruitful herself, she will not endure that others bear children E. And. 712,

ὁπότερος ἂν ᾖ βελτί̄ων, εἴθ᾽ ὁ ἀνήρ εἴθ᾽ ἡ γυνή

which ever of the two is superior, whether the man or the woman

(X. O. 7.27)

. So οἱ γονεῖς parents, οἱ παῖδες children. See 1055.