The contribution of discourse analysis to textual criticism : a study of the Bezan text of Acts
This study of the Greek text of Acts in Codex Bezae seeks to demonstrate how the practice of textual criticism can be helped by the application of discourse analysis to internal linguistic criticism. In so doing, it aims to throw light on the origin and purpose of the Bezan text. The text of Codex Bezae is compared with that of Codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus. After an initial section explaining the method used and outlining the principles of discourse analysis, a selection of the types of variant readings is examined exhaustivelyi connectives, word order, prepositions, divine names and the spelling of Jerusalem. Grammatical and pragmatic features (particularly the context and the writer/recipient relationship) are considered. In the final section, consecutive variants in extended portions of text (1: 15-26; 12: 1-12,18-25; 113: 1-18) are the object of exegetical study. The findings of the analyses challenge the traditional view of the Bezan text as a late and wayward text, the work of a slipshod and fanciful scribe. It emerges, on the contrary, as a careful and deliberate work, displaying a high degree of inner coherence and remarkably close to the linguistic patterns which can be discerned in the text which
Heimerdinger, J. G.
New Testament
The contribution of discourse analysis to textual criticism : a study of the Bezan text of Acts. This study of the Greek text of Acts in Codex Bezae seeks to demonstrate how the practice of textual criticism can be helped by the application of discourse analysis to internal linguistic criticism. In so doing, it aims to throw light on the origin and purpose of the Bezan text. The text of Codex Bezae is compared with that of Codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus. After an initial section explaining the method used and outlining the principles of discourse analysis, a selection of the types of variant readings is examined exhaustivelyi connectives, word order, prepositions, divine names and the spelling of Jerusalem. Grammatical and pragmatic features (particularly the context and the writer/recipient relationship) are considered. In the final section, consecutive variants in extended portions of text (1: 15-26; 12: 1-12,18-25; 113: 1-18) are the object of exegetical study. The findings of the analyses challenge the traditional view of the Bezan text as a late and wayward text, the work of a slipshod and fanciful scribe. It emerges, on the contrary, as a careful and deliberate work, displaying a high degree of inner coherence and remarkably close to the linguistic patterns which can be discerned in the text which
discourse_analysis textual criticism study text acts study greek_text acts codex seek practice textual criticism help application discourse_analysis internal linguistic criticism aim throw_light origin purpose text text codex compare initial section explain method_use outline principle discourse_analysis selection type variant reading examine connective word_order preposition divine name spell jerusalem grammatical pragmatic feature particularly context writer recipient relationship consider final_section consecutive variant extend portion text person object exegetical_study finding analyse challenge_traditional view text late text work scribe emerges contrary careful deliberate work display high_degree inner coherence remarkably close linguistic pattern discern text