ἄψυχα

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 ἄψυχα

   AP-sy-kha

   lifeless {things}
2. sentence🔊 ὅμως τὰ ἄψυχα φωνὴν διδόντα εἴτε αὐλὸς εἴτε κιθάρα ἐὰν διαστολὴν τοῖς φθόγγοις μὴ δῷ πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ αὐλούμενον ἢ τὸ κιθαριζόμενον

   HO-mōs ta AP-sy-kha phō-NĒN di-DON-ta EI-te au-LOS EI-te ki-THA-ra e-AN di-a-sto-LĒN tois phthog-GOIS mē DŌ PŌS gnō-STHĒ-se-tai to au-LOU-me-non ē to ki-tha-ri-DZO-me-non

   even so the lifeless {things} a sound giving whether a flute or whether a harp if a distinction to the notes not gives how will be known the being played on a flute or the being played on a harp

Exegesis

The neuter plural subject ta apsycha {τὰ ἄψυχα | tá ápsycha} ‘the lifeless things’ is immediately qualified by the participial phrase phonen didonta {φωνὴν διδόντα | phōnḗn didónta} ‘giving a sound’, highlighting that even inanimate instruments can produce audible output.

Root and etymology

apsychos🔊 ἄψυχοςalpha–psi–upsilon–chi–omicron–sigma

“lifeless, without soul”

• 🔊 ψυχήpsi–upsilon–chi–etasoul, lifeMatthew 10:28
• 🔊 ψυχικόςpsi–upsilon–chi–iota–kappa–omicron–sigmanatural, soulish1 Corinthians 2:14