Aspect and Prominence in the Synoptic Accounts of Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem

Issue Date: 
2010
Is Part Of Series: 
Filologia Neotestamentaria, 23
Extent: 
pages 161-174
Abstract: 
Porter’s analysis of the prominence conveyed by the aorist, imperfect and present is contrasted with Longacre’s claims about the same tense-forms. Both are wrong in equating respectively “foreground” (Porter) and “background” (Longacre) with the imperfect. Relevance Theory claims that non-default forms may result in a variety of cognitive effects. This explains why imperfectives correlate with background, yet sometimes have foregrounding effects. Additional non-default forms and structures can also be accomodated, such as inchoative aorist ἤρξαντο and the combination of aorist ἐγένετο and a temporal expression. Finally, a non-default form or structure may give prominence not to the event concerned, but to the following event(s).
Publication Status: 
Published
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Work Type: 
Nature of Work: 
Entry Number: 
60893