 | Re: Απάντηση: επισκεφθείτε |
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So it is not a passive verb at all (although that was the only option my dictionary gave). And the τ turning into a θ just normal variation in the Greek language (like the number seven can be written both εφτα and επτα)? Thank you! |
| Re: Απάντηση: επισκεφθείτε |
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επισκέπτομαι is an ancient middle-voice verb that is now categorized as "passive" (in form), even though it retains its ancient middle-voice meaning, "I visit". The now-standard demotic επισκεφτείτε (simple past επισκεφτήκατε), uses the demoticized consonant pair φτ, while the older, more formal (katharevousa) version retains the ancient written double aspirates φθ (although now pronounced as /fθ/), επισκεφθείτε (simple past επισκεφθήκατε). Thus your sentence can be written either as the now-standard demotic: Οι Έλληνες σας προσκαλούμε να επισκεφτείτε την Ελλάδα. = We the Greeks invite you to visit Greece. or as the more formal: Οι Έλληνες σας προσκαλούμε να επισκεφθείτε την Ελλάδα. And yes, this is the same phonetic process at work in pairs like εφτά/επτά or φτωχός/πτωχός. For a little more about this phonetic process, see my replies to "Έντεκα ή ένδεκα;" in Discussion Forum 12 and to "table in lesson 016" in Discussion Forum 16. Regards, Greg Brush |
