Syntax and Pronominal Competence in Post-Classical Greek and the Septuagint

Abstract

Scholars are often struck by the frequent use of pronouns in the Septuagint, particularly placed in postposition, linking both these aspects to the translation technique or the competency of the translators. In this article, I argue that pronominal usage in the Septuagint can be linked to developments in post-classical Greek more so than to interference from the source text. I focus particularly on pronominal usage in relation to syntax and word order to show that the traditional approach to translation technique has limited our understanding of linguistic features in the Septuagint, and deal with questions that arise from an approach to the Septuagint as reflective of post-classical Greek, namely, what can pronouns in the Septuagint tell us about the educational background of the translators and their translation methods?