λεμὰ
lamá
lama
An interrogative adverb meaning 'why?' — used to inquire about purpose, reason, or cause. In context, it introduces a direct question asking for the grounds or motive behind an action or event. In Greek texts, λαμά exclusively functions as a citation of Semitic speech, directly representing the Aramaic or Hebrew interrogative for 'why?'.
Mark 15:34 · Word #12
Lexicon G2982
| Lemma | λαμά |
| Transliteration | lamá |
| Strong's | G2982 |
| Definition | An interrogative adverb meaning 'why?' — used to inquire about purpose, reason, or cause. In context, it introduces a direct question asking for the grounds or motive behind an action or event. In Greek texts, λαμά exclusively functions as a citation of Semitic speech, directly representing the Aramaic or Hebrew interrogative for 'why?'. |
Morphology TF
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | |
Common Translation
| Phrase | lama |
| Literal | lama |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | λεμά |
| Strong's | G2982 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G2982-01
why?
| Morphological Notes | TF = foreign term; indeclinable interrogative adverb, cited from Semitic speech and not inflected for case, number, or gender. |
| Rendering Rationale | The term is an interrogative adverb directly borrowed from Semitic לָמָה, meaning 'why?' or 'for what reason?'. As an indeclinable foreign interrogative particle (TF), it functions simply to introduce a question of cause or purpose, best rendered concisely as 'why?'. |
View full lexicon entry for G2982 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
lama
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | P1 'why?' is interpretive; the Greek text preserves the transliterated Aramaic interrogative 'lama'. |