Greek grammar texts
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Greek grammar texts
If I were to begin learning Greek, what grammar text should I purchase to teach myself with?
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Re: Greek grammar texts
Ah.vir litterarum wrote:If I were to begin learning Greek, what grammar text should I purchase to teach myself with?
A grammar is a reference. Smyth is the standard English reference. It's huge, and perhaps excessive for a beginner, but you'll use it until the end of your Greek studies.
For first training material, a primer, that depends. What are you planning to read?
William S. Annis — http://www.aoidoi.org/ — http://www.scholiastae.org/
τίς πατέρ' αἰνήσει εἰ μὴ κακοδαίμονες υἱοί;
τίς πατέρ' αἰνήσει εἰ μὴ κακοδαίμονες υἱοί;
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I am planning to major in Classics when I graduate from high school. I already have extensive experience in Latin, but I also am going to study Greek. I want a text which will allow me to begin to understand the language and its forms so that I will already have a firm foundation in the language when I begin college.
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Whiteoctave, your perceptive faculties are uncanny. I concur re. Morwood. But then again, what do I know? I never had anything published (let alone a Greek grammar!).
Fanatical ranting is not just fine because it's eloquent. What if I ranted for the extermination of a people in an eloquent manner, would that make it fine? Rather, ranting, be it fanatical or otherwise, is fine if what is said is true and just. ---PeterD, in reply to IreneY and Annis
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the JACT Greek Summer School (300+ people learning Greek intensively on a residential course for two weeks) gives all its students a copy of Morwood.Bert wrote:By far the most user friendlyTwo opposite opinions. Can both of you elaborate?the pits
Oxford first year undergraduates are expected to revise to their greek accidence for weekly tests from Morwood's Greek grammar (though not his Latin).
Strangely enough I've been taught greek by Morwood himself and we used his greek grammar. He confessed that the sixth column in the irregular verbs page (future passive) was only put in to fill up space.
If you get a bad copy of Morwood and spend loads of time with it open at the irregular verbs page it eventually falls apart. Mine did this after two years but most others that I know of similar vintage are still fine.
The opinions aren't quite opposite. I suppose Morwood is at the bottom ('pits') of the greek grammar hierarchy because it's the smallest but I stick by my assertion that it's best for beginners and I think a lot of classics teachers would agree.
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For those of us wanting to learn dead languages (ones without natives to learn from who can't tell a noun from a verb) I'd say that your first grammar book should be one about your native tongue. If you don't know your own grammar, no Greek grammar is going to be of much help (don't ask how I know).
(That was a general thought, not directed to anyone in particular.)
(That was a general thought, not directed to anyone in particular.)
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True, but how do you explain that I learned more English grammar through my study of French, then, later Latin and Greek, than I ever did from an <English> grammar?I'd say that your first grammar book should be one about your native tongue.
I know others who make a smiliar claim. Perhaps it's a case of reverse osmosis!
Inero
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You never had to worry about grammar to speak English, Inero.
"I'd say that your first grammar book should be one about your native tongue."
Would someone correct this sentence? The 'about' doesn't sound right; and if I change it for 'in', it's ambiguous whether I mean (in my case) a Spanish grammar or a Greek grammar written in Spanish.
"I'd say that your first grammar book should be one about your native tongue."
Would someone correct this sentence? The 'about' doesn't sound right; and if I change it for 'in', it's ambiguous whether I mean (in my case) a Spanish grammar or a Greek grammar written in Spanish.
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reading this, the first thing that came to warped mind was aeschylus: [size=150]τὰ δ’ ἄλλα σιγῶ· βοῦς ἐπὶ γλώσσηι μέγας βέβηκεν[/size]; i.e. i'll stay quiet on the other things: a great bull stands on my tongue. (the herald suggesting bad things have been happening at agamemnon's house in his absence, agamemnon 36-37).I would either say "I'd say that your first grammar book should be one on your native tongue."
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Re: Greek grammar texts
I know that many will disagree with me, but I've found it easier to start with Koine because there are a lot of self study materials available with audio, and the reduced vocab of the NT allows me to concentrate on the grammar more, as I prepare to read real Greek texts.vir litterarum wrote:If I were to begin learning Greek, what grammar text should I purchase to teach myself with?
I too intend to later on study a heavy duty classical Greek course from the beginning, but want to go into it with previous experience.
I like the 1st edition of Machen as my base curriculum. You can get a photocopy or a pdf from Still Waters Revival Books in Canada.
I like the DVDs and study guide and flash cards by Dr. Sellers
http://www.nbcbible.org/bookstore/books ... ade level.