This is a workbook for studying discourse analysis (DA) in NT Greek. DA is distinguished from the usual approaches to grammar by its focus upon the discourse as opposed to the sentence. For example, what is the difference between ?a? and de? The difference can only be discovered when the discourse as a whole is viewed (and not just the previous sentence). This an important but overlooked area of grammar. Some of the things Levinsohn says in the book I think are a little crazy and imaginative, but there are many nuggets of gold. (Sorry for the bad formatting.)

1. 1. Coherence and Discontinuities
   1. a. He begins with the assumption that each book of the NT is coherent
   2. b. Each book is divided into thematic sections
   3. c. These sections are marked by discontinuities, such as a change of time, place, action, or participants in narrative
2. 2. Points of Departure
   1. a. Also called topicalization
   2. b. A relative pronoun is the classic example of a point of departure, as it tells how the sentence relates to the context
   3. c. This is different from focus (called emphasis by commentators)

                                                               i.      Points of departure tell how the sentence relates to the context, so the point of departure itself is already known or can be easily inferred. This means that many points of departure are articular (have the article)

                                                             ii.      Focus is new information that is the most important information in the sentence. Since it is new information, it is usually anarthrous (without the article)

1. d. It is important to recognize the difference between the two, since commentators almost always lump them together as emphasis
2. e. Three types of sentences are defined

                                                               i.      Topic – Comment

1.      There is a topic (what the sentence is about, usually the subject), about which a comment is made. This is probably the most common type of sentence

2.      Example: The man (topic) jumped (comment)

                                                             ii.      Focus – Presupposition

1.      There is a presupposition that the hearers know already, and the focus tells how that presupposition was arrived at.

2.      Was it by jumping (focus) that you are standing on the roof (presupposition)?

                                                            iii.      Presentational

1.      This is an existential sentence, where something is introduced into the text. It usually uses the verb “is.”

2.      There is a jumping man.

6. f. The point of departure in a topic-comment sentence usually comes at the beginning, looking both backward and forward

                                                               i.      Example: In Seattle (point of departure) the man (topic) jumped (comment).

                                                             ii.      Example: Last year (point of departure) Sam the jumping man (topic) fell down and hurt himself (comment).

7. g. Here is the definition Levinsohn gives for a point of departure.

                                                               i.      “The term POINT OF DEPARTURE designates an element that is placed at the beginning of a clause or sentence with a  dual function: 1. It provides a starting point for the communication; and 2. It ‘cohesively anchors the subsequent clause(s) to something which is already in the context (i.e., to something accessible in the hearer’s mental representation)’ 11.3.1 in Analyzing Discourse: Basic Concepts by Robert Dooley and Stephen Levinsohn.”

1. h. POD’s can be spatial, temporal, adverbial clauses (whenever you jump), condition (if you jump), reason clauses (because you jump), and purpose clauses (in order to jump).
2. i. POD’s can also renew a previous topic
3. j. POD’s can also occur at some position other than the initial position, but if it is not in the initial position, then it is not the primary way to relate the sentence to its context. When the POD is not initial, it implies a greater level of continuity with the previous context. An initial POD implies a slightly greater level of discontinuity
4. k. Levinsohn views NT Greek as VSO (Verb-Subject-Object), which means that any deviations from this pattern must be explained
5. l. A sentence initial item can be either a POD or focus