Particles in Ancient Greek Discourse: Exploring Particle Use across Genres

  Bonifazi, Anna, Annemieke Drummen, and Mark de Kreij. 2016. Particles in Ancient Greek Discourse: Exploring Particle Use across Genres. Hellenic Studies Series 79. Washington, DC: Center for Hellenic Studies. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ebook:CHS_BonifaziA_DrummenA_deKreijM.Particles_in_Ancient_Greek_Discourse.2016.


I.5 Particle frequencies in Homer, Pindar, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Herodotus, and Thucydides

We started our investigation by looking at the following frequencies. They concern the “core” items of a list inherited by previous scholarship, and the frequencies relate to the authors of our corpus.
All numbers are as given by the TLG. All frequencies are in percentages of all words. All texts include fragments, if these are available in the TLG.

  1. ἀλλά
  2. ἄρα
  3. ἀτάρ
  4. αὖ
  5. αὐτάρ
  6. αὖτε
  7. γάρ
  8. γε
  9. δέ
  10. δή
  11. δῆτα
  12. καί
  13. καίτοι
  14. μέν
  15. μέντοι
  16. μήν (μάν)
  17. οὖν (ὦν)
  18. περ
  19. που (κου)
  20. τε
  21. τοι
  22. τοίνυν

1. ἀλλά

Counted: ἀλλ᾽, ἀλλά.

Homer: 1430 instances in 203,242 words: frequency of 0.70%.
Pindar: 114 instances in 31,112 words: frequency of 0.37%.
Aeschylus: 293 instances in 93,249 words: frequency of 0.31%.
Sophocles: 680 instances in 80,062 words: frequency of 0.85%.
Euripides: 1076 instances in 193,904 words: frequency of 0.55%.
Aristophanes: 1260 instances in 119,562 words: frequency of 1.05%.
Herodotus: 512 instances in 189,489 words: frequency of 0.27%.
Thucydides: 484 instances in 153,260 words: frequency of 0.32%.







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
ἀλλά 0.7 0.37 0.31 0.85 0.55 1.05 0.27 0.32
PAGD I.5 image1

2. ἄρα

Counted: ἄρ, ἄρ᾽, ἄρα, ῥα, ῥά, ῥ᾽.

Homer: 1836 / 203,242 = 0.90%
Pindar: 30 / 31,112 = 0.096
Aeschylus: 26 / 93,249 = 0.028
Sophocles: 46 / 80,062 = 0.057
Euripides: 135 / 193,904 = 0.070
Aristophanes: 156 / 119,562 = 0.130
Herodotus: 67 / 189,489 = 0.035
Thucydides: 40 / 153,260 = 0.026







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
ἄρα 0.9 0.096 0.028 0.057 0.07 0.13 0.035 0.026

3. ἀτάρ

Homer: 130 / 203,242 = 0.064%
Pindar: 6 / 31,112 = 0.019
Aeschylus: 4 / 93,249 = 0.0043
Sophocles: 3 / 80,062 = 0.0037
Euripides: 36 / 193,904 = 0.019
Aristophanes: 47 / 119,562 = 0.039
Herodotus: 14 / 189,489 = 0.0074
Thucydides: 0







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
ἀτάρ 0.064 0.019 0.0043 0.0037 0.019 0.039 0.0074 0
 

4. αὖ

Homer: 168 / 203,242 = 0.083%
Pindar: 7 / 31,112 = 0.022
Aeschylus: 42 / 93,249 = 0.045
Sophocles: 69 / 80,062 = 0.086
Euripides: 132 / 193,904 = 0.068
Aristophanes: 138 / 119,562 = 0.115
Herodotus: 138 / 189,489 = 0.073
Thucydides: 42 / 153,260 = 0.027
  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
αὖ 0.083 0.022 0.045 0.086 0.068 0.115 0.073 0.027

5. αὐτάρ

Homer: 770 / 203,242 = 0.379%
Pindar: 0
Aeschylus: 0
Sophocles: 0
Euripides: 0
Aristophanes: 2 / 119,562 = 0.0017
Herodotus: 0
Thucydides: 0







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
αὐτάρ 0.379 0 0 0 0 0.0017 0 0

6. αὖτε

Counted: αὖθ’, αὖτ’ and αὖτε.

Homer: 367 / 203,242 = 0.181%
Pindar: 5 / 31,112 = 0.016
Aeschylus: 15 / 93,249 = 0.016
Sophocles: 2 / 80,062 = 0.002
Euripides: 4 / 193,904 = 0.002
Aristophanes: 4 / 119,562 = 0.003
Herodotus: 0
Thucydides: 0







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
αὖτε 0.181 0.016 0.016 0.002 0.002 0.003 0 0

bonifazi-I.5-fig4

7. γάρ

Homer: 1405 / 203,242 = 0.69%
Pindar: 193 / 31,112 = 0.62
Aeschylus: 743 / 93,249 = 0.80
Sophocles: 1019 / 80,062 = 1.27
Euripides: 2350 / 193,904 = 1.21
Aristophanes: 1373 / 119,562 = 1.15
Herodotus: 1479 / 189,489 = 0.78
Thucydides: 1116 / 153,260 = 0.73







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
γάρ 0.69 0.62 0.8 1.27 1.21 1.15 0.78 0.73

8. γε

Counted: γ᾽, γε, γέ, γά, γα, ἔγωγ(ε), ἔμοιγ(ε).

Homer: 1107 / 203,242 = 0.54%
Pindar: 43 / 31,112 = 0.14
Aeschylus: 176 / 93,249 = 0.19
Sophocles: 478 / 80,062 = 0.60
Euripides: 888 / 193,904 = 0.46
Aristophanes: 1283 / 119,562 = 1.07
Herodotus: 257 / 189,489 = 0.14
Thucydides: 186 / 153,260 = 0.12







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
γε 0.54 0.14 0.19 0.6 0.46 1.07 0.14 0.12

9. δέ

Counted: δ᾽, δέ.

Homer: 10966 / 203,242 = 5.40%
Pindar: 1129 / 31,112 = 3.63
Aeschylus: 2545 / 93,249 = 2.73
Sophocles: 1655 / 80,062 = 2.07
Euripides: 6181 / 193,904 = 3.19
Aristophanes: 2203 / 119,562 = 1.84
Herodotus: 8040 / 189,489 = 4.24
Thucydides: 4512 / 153,260 = 2.94







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
δέ 5.4 3.63 2.73 2.07 3.19 1.84 4.24 2.94

10. δή

Homer: 971 / 203,242 = 0.48%
Pindar: 23 / 31,112 = 0.07
Aeschylus: 136 / 93,249 = 0.15
Sophocles: 217 / 80,062 = 0.27
Euripides: 427 / 193,904 = 0.22
Aristophanes: 395 / 119,562 = 0.33
Herodotus: 1395 / 189,489 = 0.74
Thucydides: 201 / 153,260 = 0.13







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
δή 0.48 0.07 0.15 0.27 0.22 0.33 0.74 0.13

11. δῆτα

Counted: δῆθ’, δῆτ’, δῆτα.

Homer: 0
Pindar: 0
Aeschylus: 33 / 93,249 = 0.012%
Sophocles: 102 / 80,062 = 0.054
Euripides: 167 / 193,904 = 0.050
Aristophanes: 242 / 119,562 = 0.079
Herodotus: 5 / 189,489 = 0.0026
Thucydides: 1 / 153,260 = 0.00065







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
δῆτα 0 0 0.035 0.127 0.086 0.202 0.0026 0.00065
bonifazi-I.5-image9-redo

12. ἦ

Homer: 609 / 203,242 = 0.30%
Pindar: 14 / 31,112 = 0.045
Aeschylus: 70 / 93,249 = 0.075
Sophocles: 133 / 80,062 = 0.17
Euripides: 184 / 193,904 = 0.095
Aristophanes: 89 / 119,562 = 0.074
Herodotus: 14 / 189,489 = 0.0074
Thucydides: 13 / 153,260 = 0.0085







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
0.3 0.045 0.075 0.17 0.095 0.074 0.0074 0.0085

13. καί

Counted: καί, και, κἀγω, κἀγώ, κἄγωγ(ε), κἀκ, κἀκεῖ, κἀκεῖθεν, κἀκεῖν(…), κἀκεῖσ(ε), κἄλλ(…), κἀμ(έ), κἀμαυτ(…), κἀμοί, κἄμοιγ(ε), κἀμ(…), κἀν, κἄν, κἀξ, κἀπ(ί), κἄπειθ’, κἄπειτ(α), κἀπό.

Homer: 5287 / 203,242 = 2.60 % (no crasis forms)
Pindar: 601 / 31,112 = 1.93 (very few crasis forms)
Aeschylus: 2150 / 93,249 = 2.31 (many crasis forms)
Sophocles: 1531 / 80,062 = 1.91 (many crasis forms)
Euripides: 3635 / 193,904 = 1.87 (many crasis forms)
Aristophanes: 3418 / 119,562 = 2.86 (many crasis forms)
Herodotus: 7628 / 189,489 = 4.03 (some crasis forms)
Thucydides: 10283 / 153,260 = 6.71 (some crasis forms)







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
καί 2.6 1.93 2.31 1.91 1.87 2.86 4.03 6.71

14. καίτοι

Homer: 0
Pindar: 0
Aeschylus: 9 / 93,249 = 0.0097%
Sophocles: 22 / 80,062 = 0.027
Euripides: 34 / 193,904 = 0.018
Aristophanes: 41 / 119,562 = 0.034
Herodotus: 18 / 189,489 = 0.0095
Thucydides: 24 / 153,260 = 0.016







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
καίτοι 0 0 0.0097 0.027 0.018 0.034 0.0095 0.016

15. μέν

Homer: 1869 / 203,242 = 0.92%
Pindar: 237 / 31,112 = 0.76
Aeschylus: 430 / 93,249 = 0.46
Sophocles: 522 / 80,062 = 0.65
Euripides: 1278 / 193,904 = 0.66
Aristophanes: 624 / 119,562 = 0.52
Herodotus: 2549 / 189,489 = 1.35
Thucydides: 1777 / 153,260 = 1.16







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
μέν 0.92 0.76 0.46 0.65 0.66 0.52 1.35 1.16

16. μέντοι

Homer: 0
Pindar: 0
Aeschylus: 29 / 93,249 = 0.031%
Sophocles: 26 / 80,062 = 0.032
Euripides: 41 / 193,904 = 0.021
Aristophanes: 60 / 119,562 = 0.050
Herodotus: 115 / 189,489 = 0.061
Thucydides: 69 / 153,260 = 0.045







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
μέντοι 0 0 0.031 0.032 0.021 0.05 0.061 0.045

17. μήν

Counted: μήν, μάν.

Homer: 34 / 203,242 = 0.017%
Pindar: 32 / 31,112 = 0.10
Aeschylus: 62 / 93,249 = 0.066
Sophocles: 53 / 80,062 = 0.066
Euripides: 135 / 193,904 = 0.070
Aristophanes: 136 / 119,562 = 0.11
Herodotus: 0
Thucydides: 20 / 153,260 = 0.013







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
μήν 0.017 0.1 0.066 0.066 0.07 0.11 0 0.013

18. οὖν

Counted: οὖν; in Herodotus ὦν; in Pindar οὖν + ὦν.

Homer: 84 / 203,242 = 0.041%
Pindar: 15 / 31,112 = 0.048
Aeschylus: 100 / 93,249 = 0.11
Sophocles: 123 / 80,062 = 0.15
Euripides: 293 / 193,904 = 0.15
Aristophanes: 301 / 119,562 = 0.25
Herodotus: 452 / 189,489 = 0.24
Thucydides: 243 / 153,260 = 0.16







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
οὖν 0.041 0.048 0.11 0.15 0.15 0.25 0.24 0.16

19. περ

Counted: περ, πέρ,αἴπερ, ἐάνπερ, εἴπερ, ἐπεί(δή)περ, ἕωσπερ, ἤνπερ, ἵναπερ, κἄνπερ, κεἴπερ, ὅπωσπερ, ὅτεπερ, ὅτιπερ, χὤτανπερ, [relative]περ.

Homer: 534 / 203,242 = 0.26%
Pindar: 15 / 31,112 = 0.048
Aeschylus: 97 / 93,249 = 0.10
Sophocles: 123 / 80,062 = 0.15
Euripides: 199 / 193,904 = 0.10
Aristophanes: 227 / 119,562 = 0.19
Herodotus: 252 / 189,489 = 0.13
Thucydides: 258 / 153,260 = 0.17







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
περ 0.26 0.048 0.1 0.15 0.1 0.19 0.13 0.17

20. που

Counted: που, πού, κου, κού, and for Herodotus also κω, κώ.

Homer: 162 / 203,242 = 0.080%
Pindar: 5 / 31,112 = 0.016
Aeschylus: 28 / 93,249 = 0.030
Sophocles: 55 / 80,062 = 0.069
Euripides: 61 / 193,904 = 0.031
Aristophanes: 68 / 119,562 = 0.057
Herodotus: 89 / 189,489 = 0.047
Thucydides: 49 / 153,260 = 0.032







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
που 0.08 0.016 0.03 0.069 0.031 0.057 0.047 0.032

21. τε

Counted: τ᾽, τε, τέ, θ᾽.

Homer: 4117 / 203,242 = 2.01%
Pindar: 657 / 31,112 = 2.11
Aeschylus: 793 / 93,249 = 0.85
Sophocles: 715 / 80,062 = 0.89
Euripides: 2637 / 193,904 = 1.36
Aristophanes: 690 / 119,562 = 0.58
Herodotus: 2786 / 189,489 = 1.47
Thucydides: 2615 / 153,260 = 1.70







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
τε 2.01 2.11 0.85 0.89 1.36 0.58 1.47 1.7

22. τοι

Counted: τοι, τοί. This form is not only a particle, but can also represent a personal pronoun.

Homer: 942 / 203,242 = 0.463%
Pindar: 75 / 31,112 = 0.241
Aeschylus: 116 / 93,249 = 0.124
Sophocles: 93 / 80,062 = 0.116
Euripides: 152 / 193,904 = 0.078
Aristophanes: 104 / 119,562 = 0.087
Herodotus: 185 / 189,489 = 0.098
Thucydides: 12 / 153,260 = 0.0078







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
τοι 0.463 0.241 0.124 0.116 0.078 0.087 0.098 0.0078

23. τοίνυν

Homer: 0
Pindar: 2 / 31,112 = 0.0064%
Aeschylus: 9 / 93,249 = 0.0097
Sophocles: 8 / 80,062 = 0.010
Euripides: 6 / 193,904 = 0.0031
Aristophanes: 82 / 119,562 = 0.069
Herodotus: 22 / 189,489 = 0.012
Thucydides: 5 / 153,260 = 0.0033







  Hom Pind Aesch Soph Eur Ar Hdt Thu
τοίνυν 0 0.0064 0.0097 0.01 0.0031 0.069 0.012 0.0033