Substantives - Lesson 9 "From Alpha to Omega" by Anne Groton

Masculine Nouns in the First Declension 
There are masculine nouns in the first declension. They have an alpha and an eta form, and so follow the same rule: if the stem ends in epsilon, iota, or rho then the alpha endings are used. If the stems ends with any other letter than the eta endings are used. The vocative in the eta endings can change, depending ...

RULE: "The vocative singular of eta-stems ends in a short alpha if the nominative ends in -tao-eta-sigma or if the word is a compound ... or the name of a nationality; otherwise the vocative ends in eta."

RULE: "The eta-stem masculines whose nominative singular ends in -tns show the agent or doer of an action (e.g. mathetes = "one who learns," i.e. "student") or a person concerned with or involved in something (e.g., oiketes = "one involved in the household," i.e., "family member")." 

Two Adjective Endings 

In Greek you will encounter some adjectives which have masculine and neuter endings but not feminine. For these, use the masculine endings. Often these adjectives are alpha privative adjectives. 

Alpha Privatives

Alpha privative adjectives are have a prefix "a" or "av" before them. These are like the English prefix "un" and "is roughly equivalent to 'not''; it implies the absence or lack of a particular trait (e.g, athanatos = 'without death' or 'undying')." 

Substantives

A substantive is when an adjective which is modifying a noun just takes its place altogether. The noun can be left out completely because the adjective has gender, number, and case indicated in itself. "The adjective thus becomes the equivalent of the noun it would have modified. A word that is made to function as a noun is called a substantive." 

Prepositional Phrases as Substantives 

Prepositional phrases function normally as a type of adverb (in that it modifies how the action was done), but it can also function as an adjective or a substantive noun. "Its function depends on its position in relation to a definite article." 

Sentence one shows the prepositional phrase as an adverb as one might normally expect to see it. 

Sentence two and three show the prepositional phrase as an adjective in attributive positions. 

In sentence four the prepositional phrase acts as a substantive and replaces the noun, only leaving the article for the noun and the prepositional phrase. The article gives the gender, number, and case and the prepositional phrase acts as the noun. 

Genitive of Possession 

Greek does not use apostrophes to show possession like English does, but rather puts the possessor in the genitive case. 

The genitive of possession can also be used in the attributive way as attribute of the noun. This means that it could be included between the article and the noun, or could be given the same article as the noun and placed after it. 

Greek-to-English Sentence Translations

1. (adjective in predicate position with the verb to be implied) Bad [is] the unworthy student's destiny. The immortals are about to send pains, not delights. 

2. No longer do the slaves hear of the mistress, the good one (adjective in attributive position two). 

3. When it is time to guard the tent, leave behind, O handsome youths, the sea. 

4. Send, o slave, the letter and the gift to the former master. 

5. The girl [is] both free and not worthy to serve. (two adjectives in the predicate position.) 

6. The in-the-river stones will hurt the children and the women slaves. (prep phrase as as an attributive adj.) 

7. Hasten, o worthy student, into the despot's house. (genitive acting as attributive adjective)

8. Again we are willing to serve the good and immortal goddess. 

9. Away from the servants, o evil youth, you will steal the beautiful treasure. 

10. Slaves, do not leave work. Free (men) do not be about to hasten the horses into the agora.