Confused between DGGNT and LDGNT

In DGGNT, I read

5.4.1 Redundant Vocatives as Forward-Pointing Devices

Vocatives and nominatives of address generally are used to identify the “addressee,” the one to whom the writer or speaker is addressing the communication. They typically are used either to identify the intended audience or to signal a switch to a new addressee. The vocatives or nominatives of address are indicated by the G symbol. In Eph 6, the forms of address are needed to clearly identify Paul’s intended audiences as he moves from topic to topic.

Steven E. Runge, Discourse Grammar of the Greek New Testament: A Practical Introduction for Teaching and Exegesis (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2010), 117.

Symbol G should be a megaphone, but the forum software seemed to reject that.

However, when I hover over the symbol in LDGNT, I see

This seems contradictory.

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Comments

Dr. Steven E. Runge (Logos)

Good question, Jack. The description in the grammar focuses on effect of unneeded forms of direct address, the "brothers" in James, etc. Those serve a specific function, often co-occurring with other forward-pointing devices. In theory there are three different kinds of direct address that could be differentiated: those that are semantically required to identify the intended addressee (Eph 6:1), those that are semantically redundant ('brothers'), and those that change how you view the addressee ('you of little faith'). I began using the category exclusively for the last group, hence the name, but chose to add the other two to the same category rather than ignoring them or creating more categories. I'm sorry for the confusion this caused, but that's the backstory.

Jack Caviness

Thank you for the background information. It would help clear some confusion if the Thematic Address popup and the definition in LDGNT Introduction were revised. I find both confusing because there seems to be a missing word.

[quote]The use of vocatives or nominatives of address containing extra descriptive information that is either not required to identify the addressee(s). The information has the effect of characterizing the addressee(s), based upon how the speaker conceives of them.

Steven E. Runge, The Lexham Discourse Greek New Testament: Introduction (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2008).

It seems to me that either needs an or to complete the thought. Is the second sentence the second option and that or should appear prior to "The information"? I submitted a typo report describing this confusion.

those that are semantically required to identify the intended addressee (Eph 6:1),

Shouldn't the popup and definition also include this category? Each of those addressees in Ephesians 6 are tagged as Thematic Address, but the popup definition implies that they are not Thematic Addressees.

BTW: I attempted to send you an email concerning this, but the server bounced my guess at your address.