Ambiguity, Ancient Semantics, and Faith

While allowing for polysemy, scholars seem mostly averse to ambiguity, as in the πίστις Χριστοῦ debate; but, it would seem, without engaging with ancient semantic theory. There the model of ‘naming’ and so of evoking an otherwise unspecified mental impression, predominates. Meaning is taken to lie i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Downing, Francis Gerald 1935- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press 2010
In: New Testament studies
Year: 2010, Volume: 56, Issue: 1, Pages: 139-162
Further subjects:B translatio
B imprecision
B ancient semantic theory
B ‘naming’
B μεταϕορά
B Polysemy
B Psycholinguistics
B πίστις Χριστοῦ
B Ambiguity
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Summary:While allowing for polysemy, scholars seem mostly averse to ambiguity, as in the πίστις Χριστοῦ debate; but, it would seem, without engaging with ancient semantic theory. There the model of ‘naming’ and so of evoking an otherwise unspecified mental impression, predominates. Meaning is taken to lie in the mind, not in the word or words that are hoped to evoke it, as is also shown in ancient discussions of metaphor, allegory, and paraphrase. Connotations of individual words are rarely distinguished, rarely if ever purged. We are not justified in expecting verbal precision where our ancient authors will neither have attempted it nor will their hearers have expected it; nor, indeed, do modern psycholinguists appear to find space for it.
ISSN:1469-8145
Contains:Enthalten in: New Testament studies
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S0028688509990221