Linguistic analysis and cohesion in 2 Peter: using a discourse approach to determine its structure and divisions

Adams, S. (2006) Linguistic analysis and cohesion in 2 Peter: using a discourse approach to determine its structure and divisions. In: SBL International Meeting, Washington DC, USA, 18-21 November 2006, (Unpublished)

Abstract

There has been some disagreement among scholars regarding the division and organization of 2 Peter. Unlike some other biblical letters, 2 Peter does not have strong boundaries between its different sections, but transitions using blended semantic themes. This blending causes difficulties for the translator, who looks to segment the text into smaller units. However, with the adoption of modern linguistic tools within biblical scholarship, new avenues have been opened to evaluate the composition and structure of a text. Using the OpenText.org model and other linguistic features, as well as incorporating a comparison of traditional syntactic mapping, I will evaluate how participant reference, verbal aspect and particularly semantic domains can be used to provide insight into the structure of 2 Peter. In addition, I hope to show that using a discourse approach to evaluating the composition of a text provides a more rigorous and insightful approach than the traditional syntactic mapping.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Unpublished
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Adams, Professor Sean
• Authors: Adams, S.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > Theology and Religious Studies