Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Brief Word Study on EUTRAPELIA

Brief Word Study on EUTRAPELIA

BDAG states: "EUTRAPELIA, AS, hH (s. TREPW; Hippocr. et al., mostly in a good sense: 'wittiness', 'facetiousness' [cp. our 'turn of phrase']; so also Posidipp. Com. fgm. 28, 5; Diod. S. 15, 6, 5; Philo, Leg. ad Gai. 361; Jos., Ant. 12, 173; 214. Acc. to Aristot., EN 2, 7, 13 it is the middle term betw. the extremes of buffonery [BWMOLOXIA] and boorishness [AGROIKIA]; acc. to Aristot., Rhet. 2, 12 it is PEPAIDEUMENH hUBRIS) in our lit. only in bad sense coarse jesting, risque wit (for sim. sense cp. EUTRAPELOS Isocr. 7, 49) Eph 5:4."

"EUTRAPELIA, AS, hH (EU, TREPW), 1. Versatility, wit, facetiousness(Hippocr., Plt., al.). 2. = BWMOLOGIA, coarse jesting, ribaldry(Abbott, Essays, 93): Eph 5:4" (Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, page 190).

"EUTRAPELIA, AS, f: coarse jesting involving vulgar expressions and indecent content-'vulgar speech, indecent talk.' KAI AISXROTHS KAI MWROLOGIA H EUTRAPELIA, hA OUK ANHKEN 'nor is it fitting for you to use shameful, foolish, or vulgar language' Eph 5:4" (Louw-Nida Greek & English Lexicon 33.34).

"EUTRAPELIA (#2365) coarse jesting. It implies the dexterity of turning a discourse to wit or humor that ends in deceptive speech, so formed that the speaker easily contrives to wriggle out of its meaning or engagement (Eadie). After a banquet the guests would sit and talk making jokes; often there was a jester (SCURRA, COPREA) who knew how
to make plays on words . . ." (Rogers and Rogers, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, page 443).

SCURRA = "A city buffoon, droll, jester" (Lewis and Short Latin Dictionary).

COPREA-"A low buffoon, a filthy jester (post-Aug.), Suet. Tib. 61; id. Claud. 8; cf. Dio Cass. 50, 28" (Lewis and Short).

4 comments:

Pertinacious Papist said...

Cool beans, Dr. Foster. Didn't know you had this blog!!

Edgar Foster said...

Hi PP!

You actually made some remarks on this blog back in the day. But it's been a while.

Cheers!

Vic Brumby said...

The Eu is understood - but what was trapelia in the Greek? I can find only 'turning', which doesn't compute.....

Edgar Foster said...

This page explains the etymology for eutrapelia: https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/eutrapelia.html

You might also check LSJ.