Greek Rhythm

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easternugget
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Greek Rhythm

Post by easternugget »

I am having trouble making sense of rhythm. The whole rhythm thing is confusing. How do you decide what the rhythm of a word is? I was looking at some of the words from the little lexicon at the back of Mounce (good ole Mounce) and this is what I came up with:
αγαθός
u -- u

αγάπη
u u --

αγαπητός
u u -- u

άγγελος
-- u u

αγιάζω
u u-- --

Now, I understand things can change when put into context, but am I on the right path? Are there any places to go for some good information? Then how does one decide what words to use? Sorry for all these questions.

GlottalGreekGeek
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Post by GlottalGreekGeek »

I suggest you start by reading this

http://www.aoidoi.org/articles/meter/intro.pdf

I must say, dealing with Greek meter makes (English) iambic pentameter seem ridiculously easy.

easternugget
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Post by easternugget »

Thanks, I think that will be useful

annis
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Re: Greek Rhythm

Post by annis »

easternugget wrote:I am having trouble making sense of rhythm. The whole rhythm thing is confusing. How do you decide what the rhythm of a word is?
Partly by rules, partly by memorization for the vowels that aren't usually marked for length (α, ι, υ).
αγαθός
u -- u
This is u u x (the 'x' means it could be long or short, depending on what comes next). Does Mounce mark vowel lengths in the vocabulary? If so, this is mismarked.
William S. Annis — http://www.aoidoi.org/http://www.scholiastae.org/
τίς πατέρ' αἰνήσει εἰ μὴ κακοδαίμονες υἱοί;

easternugget
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Post by easternugget »

No, he doesn't mark it. That was my attempt.

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