The distribution of object clitic pronouns in the Grottaferrata manuscript of Digenis Akritis

Abstract

The Grottaferrata manuscript of Digenis Akritis may be of more interest to Medieval Greek linguists than previously assumed. This rather ‘archaizing’ version obeys the same medieval distribution rules for object clitic pronouns postulated by Mackridge for the more ‘vernacular’ Escorial version. Moreover, it is shown that the medieval rules – divided into a syntactic and a pragmatic principle – clearly constitute a gradual continuation of older, post-Classical, tendencies. Much attention is paid to the pragmatic principle in relation to verbs, which is invoked as an explanatory principle for apparent exceptions.