Among the types of words which are said to be characteristic of the Koine the most prominent are perhaps the following:[1]
noun-suffixes: -μα, -μός, -σις;
adjective suffixes: -ικός (verbal adjectives in -τος[2]);
verb suffixes: -έω, -ίζω;
double compounds.
Of this list, -σις and -έω are very common in the classical period as well, and are therefore of minor importance in determining a writer's connection with the common dialect. The rest, however, became far more frequent in later times, and may fairly be said to furnish as trustworthy criteria as can be found. They will be taken up in the order named.
-μα.
The use of nouns formed with the suffix -μα is admitted to be a characteristic of the Koine. Most scholars have regarded the Ionic dialect as the source from which the later language derived its fondness for words of this type, but Fränkel takes issue with this view,[3] regarding the suffix as well established in old Attic, and as advancing by natural steps to its later
- ↑ Authorities for this selection are cited below under each type as it is taken up.
- ↑ This group does not strictly belong here; see below.
- ↑ Fränkel, E., Griechische Denominativa, Göttingen 1906, pp. 225 ff. He bases his contention upon the frequent use of these words in tragedy. To this theory Witkowsky, in his Bericht (Bursians Jahresber. 159 [1912] p. 211) opposes the sound objection that "wäre dem Attischen eine Neigung für diese Bildungen eigen gewesen, so hätten die attischen Philosophen, Historiker usw. sie in reichlicherem Masse verwenden können, indes sind sie bei Platon, Thukydides usw. verhältnismässig selten." Others who have noted their later frequency are Blass, Gram. d. N. T. Griech.2 p. 307; Glaser, O., de ratione quae intercedit inter sermonem Polybii et eum qui in titulis S. III, II, I apparet, diss. Gissae 1894, p. 52; Helbing, Gram. d. Septuaginta pp. 124 f; Hindenlang, L., Sprachliche Untersuchungen zu Theophrasts botanischen Schriften, diss. Strassburg 1910 (Diss. phil. Argent. sel. XIV 2) p. 171 n. 1; Jacoby, E., de Antiphontis sophistae περὶ ὁμονοίας libro, diss. Berlin 1908, p. 52; Mayser, Gram. d. griech. Papyri d. Ptolemäerzeit pp. 24, 447; Schmid, W., Atticismus, II pp. 223, 225; Thumb, A., Hdb. d. griech. Dialekten p. 373; Id., Die griech. Sprache im Zeitalter d. Hellenismus pp. 216 f.; Winer-Schmiedel, Gram. d. N. T. Sprachidioms I8 §§ 3.2e, 16.2a. Satisfactory statistics in support of these observations are furnished by none of the writers mentioned above with the exception of Mayser.
