Brief Word Study on EUTRAPELIA

Brief Word Study on EUTRAPELIA

BDAG states:  εὐτραπελία, ας, ἡ (s. τρέπω; Hippocr. et al., mostly in a good sense: ‘wittiness’, ‘facetiousness’ [cp. our ‘turn a 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 buffoonery [βωμολοχία] and boorishness [ἀγροικία]; acc. to Aristot., Rhet. 2, 12 it is πεπαιδευμένη ὕβρις) in our lit. only in a bad sense coarse jesting, risqué wit (for sim. sense cp. εὐτράπελος Isocr. 7, 49) Eph 5:4.—HRahner, LexThK III 1212. PvanderHorst, Is Wittiness Christian? A Note on εὐτραπελία in Eph 5:4: Miscellanea Neotestamentica, ed. AKlŸn/WvanUnnik ’78, 163-77.—DELG s.v. τρέπω. M-M. TW. Spicq. Sv.

"* εὐτραπελία, -ας, ἡ, 1. Versatility, wit, facetiousness (Hippocr., Plt., al.). 2. = μωρολογία, coarse jesting, ribaldry (Abbott, Essays, 93): Eph 5:4" (Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, page 190).

"εὐτραπελία, ας, f: coarse jesting involving vulgar expressions and indecent content-'vulgar speech, indecent talk.' καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν 'nor is it fitting for you to use shameful, foolish, or vulgar language' Eph 5:4" (Louw-Nida Greek & English Lexicon 33.34).

"εὐτραπελία (#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).

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrapelia