Can anyone advise on how I can construct a syntax search which finds sentences which don't contain any verbs?
This is the case in Philippians 2:1 and I am trying to see if there are any other occurrences.
Many thanks, Graham
First I tried using the "anything but this" check box in the morph field for a word as part of a clause, and it matches about 300,000 times as I recall, as it finds all combinations of words within a clause that do not have a verb.
For example, if I remember my math, if a clause had 6 words in it, there are 6 factorial, or 720 unique combinations of just 1 word, 360 unique combinations of 2 words, 120 combinations of 3 words, 30 combinations of 4 words, 6 combinations of 5 words, and 1 combination of 6 words. Logos looks at all 1237 groups of words and reports all them don't have a verb.
So I guess the challenge is how to express the query so an entire clause is examined once.
So then I tried using "Match contexts where this term is not present", and as you can see from the embedded picture, this looks pretty accurate. There are a lot of primary and secondary clauses that match this criteria, for example in Philippians there are 40. You can see in 2.1 it matches FOUR clauses that are that way, not 1 verse. As I look at the Opentext.org Clause Analysis graphs, that looks correct. Note I match Primary and Secondary clauses, as there are embedded clauses that create redundancy in the results.
If you have further criteria of what you are looking for you might be able to refine this, or ask for help. Does this get you started?
Appears SBL Edition of New Testament has 371 sentences without verbs:
Looking at Cascadia Syntax Graphs, noted Philippians 2:1 is part of one Greek sentence that spans four verse #'s:
Observation: Bible verse #'s do not match Greek sentences. Some Greek sentences span many verse #'s (e.g. Phil 1:3-7, 1:27-30, 2:1-4, & 3:8-11 have 4 or 5 verse #'s for one Greek sentence). Some verse #'s include more than one sentence (e.g. Phil 2:27, 3:1, 3:15, 4:4, 4:5, 4:12, & 4:21 have two Greek sentences in one verse #).
Keep Smiling [:)]
That doesn't work, as sentences can contain multiple clauses. I would do this:
Make sure you have also selected "Matching skips levels".
<edit>This doesn't work either. I'm not sure why. Sorry.</edit>
I would do this: Make sure you have also selected "Matching skips levels". <edit>This doesn't work either. I'm not sure why. Sorry.</edit>
I would do this:
Actually, Mark, this works fine! It was the "Matching skips levels" that I was missing.
While this doesn't actually result in a match for Philippians 2:1, this is because the Greek sentence goes over into a few verses (thanks KS4J) which then do contain a verb.
Dominick, thanks for your support on this - very useful
Graham
Appears SBL Edition of New Testament has 371 sentences without verbs: That doesn't work, as sentences can contain multiple clauses.
That doesn't work, as sentences can contain multiple clauses.
Apologies: when clause does not have "Matching Skip Levels", do find 371 sentences with one verbless clause. Personally not yet know have to find sentences with verbless clause(s) that do not have clause(s). For example, Matthew 1:17 has several verbless clauses (yet no verb). When check "Matching Skip Levels" for verbless clause, am finding sentences that include verbless clause and other clauses; still living and learning.
Actually, Mark, this works fine!
Yes, you're quite right, it does work. I was tripping over the problem KS4J highlighted. Because some verse contain multiple sentences it appeared as though it was returning false positives, whereas it was actually (and correctly) returning the first sentence from a verse, even though there was a verb in the second sentence.
Actually, Mark, this works fine! Yes, you're quite right, it does work. I was tripping over the problem KS4J highlighted. Because some verse contain multiple sentences it appeared as though it was returning false positives, whereas it was actually (and correctly) returning the first sentence from a verse, even though there was a verb in the second sentence.
Thanks Graham, Mark, and Dominick; also tried a similar syntax with "Matching Skip Levels":
This sentence no verb.
[:D]
Would someone please tell me how to add:
part of speech = verb
Thanks
Hi Jerry
The syntax varies depending on the database you are using but here's an example
I have selected a node "word" and gone to the morphology section - typed in "@V" to get a verb part of speech. As you can see you can then refine it further if you wish.
Once you have the required morphology click the blue arrow to the bottom right and you are set to go.
Hope this helps
Please post back if it doesn't!
Hi Jerry The syntax varies depending on the database you are using but here's an example I have selected a node "word" and gone to the morphology section - typed in "@V" to get a verb part of speech. As you can see you can then refine it further if you wish. Once you have the required morphology click the blue arrow to the bottom right and you are set to go. Hope this helps Please post back if it doesn't! Graham
Thank you very much Graham
This is very helpful. It works great.
I initially tried to use "Agreement" instead of "Morphology", since I saw "part of speech" in it, but it didn't work.[:)]
Jerry
Excellent - glad you got it working.
Can anyone advise on how I can construct a syntax search which finds sentences which don't contain any verbs? This is the case in Philippians 2:1 and I am trying to see if there are any other occurrences.
Alternative idea: Lexham Discourse Greek New Testament (LDGNT) has "Topic of Verbless Clause" tagging:
By the way, LDGNT has conditional frame tagging for Philippians 2:1
