On Some Control Structures in Hellenistic Greek: A Comparison with Classical and Modern Greek

Abstract

Control Structures in Ancient Greek typically involved infinitival complementation while in Modern Greek, finite complementation is the rule. Hellenistic Greek provides an interesting "way-station" between these two types of complementation, inasmuch as it is both chronologically and structurally transitional. In this contribution to the historical syntax of Greek, an analysis is offered of control structures in Hellenistic Greek, tracing the transition from the Ancient Greek type to the Modern Greek type. Based on the evidence of these three stages of Greek and the developments that the language shows with regard to innovations in the form and properties of control structures, an argument is put forth in support of the view that control is not a purely syntactic phenomenon but rather derives from the lexical semantics of the predicates involved.

Keywords

• syntax
• Greek
• complementation
• PRO
• control
• Modern Greek
• infinitive
• ancient Greek
• PRO
• Hellenistic Greek
• pro