What Does Agreement Mean in Greek
2022年10月11日
When it comes to language, one important aspect of communication is the agreement of words and phrases. In Greek, this is called συμφωνία (symphonia), which translates to “agreement” in English.
In Greek, agreement refers to the matching of various elements of a sentence, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and pronouns, in terms of gender, number, and case. This is important in ensuring the proper meaning and clarity of a sentence.
For example, in the sentence “Η κοπέλα πίνει νερό” (I kopela pinei nero), which means “The girl is drinking water,” the article “η” (I) and the noun “κοπέλα” (kopela) are both feminine and singular, therefore in agreement with each other. The verb “πίνει” (pinei) is in the third person singular, agreeing with the subject “κοπέλα” (kopela).
In Greek, there are three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter), three numbers (singular, plural, and dual), and four cases (nominative, genitive, accusative, and vocative) that must be taken into consideration when ensuring agreement between different elements of a sentence.
For instance, in the sentence “Οι αδελφές τρώνε μήλα” (Oi adelfes trone mila), which means “The sisters are eating apples,” the article “οι” (Oi) is plural and masculine/feminine (used for groups containing both masculine and feminine nouns), while the noun “αδελφές” (adelfes) is in the feminine plural form. The verb “τρώνε” (trone) is in the third person plural, agreeing with the subject “αδελφές” (adelfes).
In summary, agreement in Greek refers to the matching of different elements of a sentence based on their gender, number, and case. As a copy editor or writer, it’s important to keep these rules in mind to ensure the accuracy and clarity of your writing, especially when targeting Greek-speaking audiences.