How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer courses

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David.W
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How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer courses

Post by David.W »

Hello,
I plan to apply to King's Ancient Greek Intensive Courses this summer, but I don't know which option is better: 1)To attend Greek Courses for 2 full sections (Beginner's and Intermediate Level respectively) or 2) to attend Greek for one section(3-week) and then goes on to attend Latin for one section?
I have no background in either Greek nor Latin, though I try to self-study Greek currently. I've been admitted by King's MA Ancient History program (2011/12), and I'd like to make some preparation before starting the new semester.......Is anyone here that would like to offer some advice or recommend other successful Greek intensive courses? Thanks~

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pster
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Re: How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer cou

Post by pster »

I'm positive that doing twice the Greek would be better and more rewarding. Better because you will be able to get the hardest chunk of work for a classics program out of the way before even beginning your program. More rewarding because you'll be ready to do some reading by the end. Greek is much much harder than Latin by just about any measure. Moreover, you'll have no regrets doing it this way, but you may very well have regrets doing it 50-50. Good luck! And enjoy!

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Scribo
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Re: How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer cou

Post by Scribo »

I'm also a university of London student, though a 3rd year undergraduate (though me might be course mates next year)

What are you aims exactly? what sort of modules are thinking of taking? Yes in general expose yourself to as much Greek tuition as you can.
(Occasionally) Working on the following tutorials:

(P)Aristotle, Theophrastus and Peripatetic Greek
Intro Greek Poetry
Latin Historical Prose

David.W
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Re: How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer cou

Post by David.W »

pster wrote:I'm positive that doing twice the Greek would be better and more rewarding. Better because you will be able to get the hardest chunk of work for a classics program out of the way before even beginning your program. More rewarding because you'll be ready to do some reading by the end. Greek is much much harder than Latin by just about any measure. Moreover, you'll have no regrets doing it this way, but you may very well have regrets doing it 50-50. Good luck! And enjoy!
Thank you Pster! Your suggestion is really enlightening. I've just received an outline of this summer program. To be frank, I'm not so confident as to learn so much Greek as to begin 2nd section directly....What do you think guys, as to the difficulty level of this program?

1st 3 weeks


Week One

Part One Grammar
Definite article
Introduction to adjectives and adverbs
Present tense
Middle verbs
1st, 2nd and 3rd declension & some irregular nouns
Prepositions, particles
Some common irregular verbs
Personal pronouns

Part One Texts: Athens at Sea

Week Two

Part Two Grammar
Present Participles and Infinitives
Imperfect, future and aorist tenses
Indefinite and interrogative words
Indirect speech
Comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs
Pronouns

Part Two Texts: Moral Decay?

Week Three

Part Three Grammar
Genitive and Dative cases
Optative
Time phrases
Root aorists
Relatives

Part Three Texts: Athens through the comic poet’s eyes
Extracts from Aristophanes’ Birds, Wasps, Lysistrata, Akharnians

2nd 3 weeks

Week One

Part Four Grammar
The passive
Genitive absolute
Conditions
Wishes
Gerunds
Sequence of tenses
The subjunctive
Indefinite constructions
Scanning Greek verse

Part Four Texts: Women in Athenian Society
Extracts from Demosthenes, The Prosecution of Neaira and Euripdes, Alkestis

Week Two

Part Five Grammar
Pluperfect
Verbs of fearing
Accusative absolute
Purpose clauses
Jussive subjunctive
Result clauses
Deliberatives
Duals

Part Five Texts: Athenian Views of Justice
Extracts from Demosthenes, Against Mnesiboulos and Euergos and Plato, Phaidros and Protagoras

Week Three

Parts Six & Seven Grammar
Herodotus’ dialect
Accusative of respect
Homeric dialect & hexameters

Part Six Texts: God, Fate and Man
Extracts from Herodotus

Part Seven Texts: Homeric hero and heroine
Extracts from Homer, Odyssey

David.W
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Re: How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer cou

Post by David.W »

Scribo wrote:I'm also a university of London student, though a 3rd year undergraduate (though me might be course mates next year)

What are you aims exactly? what sort of modules are thinking of taking? Yes in general expose yourself to as much Greek tuition as you can.
Hi Scribo, glad to meet you here! I aim at becoming an ancient historian, with concentration on ancient Greece (and if possible on ancient China as well). My next step would be to finish MA and apply to a PhD in Ancient History. I'd like to take modules regarding history research methods and methodology, Greek social history and classical archeology.
I'm still waiting reply from UCL. Would you please give some advice on whether to choose UCL or KCL for MA Ancient History program?
UCL's program belongs to History Department, while the KCL's belongs to Classics and Ancient History Dep, thus it has a more interdisciplinary outlook. But it seems to me that UCL's reputation is better than King's and I like UCL's professor Hans van Wees for his wide research interests...

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IreneY
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Re: How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer cou

Post by IreneY »

You know some modern Greek right (going by your post in the welcoming thread)? If so it will help you a lot with your study of Ancient Greek; so, between that and your studying by yourself you shouldn't worry about the second section of AG studies.

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Scribo
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Re: How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer cou

Post by Scribo »

David.W wrote:
Scribo wrote:I'm also a university of London student, though a 3rd year undergraduate (though me might be course mates next year)

What are you aims exactly? what sort of modules are thinking of taking? Yes in general expose yourself to as much Greek tuition as you can.
Hi Scribo, glad to meet you here! I aim at becoming an ancient historian, with concentration on ancient Greece (and if possible on ancient China as well). My next step would be to finish MA and apply to a PhD in Ancient History. I'd like to take modules regarding history research methods and methodology, Greek social history and classical archeology.
I'm still waiting reply from UCL. Would you please give some advice on whether to choose UCL or KCL for MA Ancient History program?
UCL's program belongs to History Department, while the KCL's belongs to Classics and Ancient History Dep, thus it has a more interdisciplinary outlook. But it seems to me that UCL's reputation is better than King's and I like UCL's professor Hans van Wees for his wide research interests...
Hi,

Sure I can try and give you advice (but obviously I'm not a lecturer haha). I don't know about UCL's history programme, but I've applied for the Classics programme. It's actually federal, that is the Classics MA is taught between UCL, KCL and RHUL. You get an amazing amount of choice, some 50 or so modules, have you been given the little red book with all the module lists in it? Either way don't worry too much since most of the teaching is in central London and you can take masters modules from any of the other constituent colleges.

In terms of my impressions I would say that whilst UCL certainly has the prestige many of their Classics modules seem "tacked on" as an after thought almost, they definitely seem to concentrate largely on "reception studies" which is a damn shame really. However I would remind you that if you want Hans Van Wees as a dissertation advisor then you probably have to take it, though if you just want to take his course (Social and Economic History of Archaic Greece this year I believe) then you can be pretty much anywhere and still get the benefits. UCL also has Prof Steven Colvin (!!) so if you like Greek Linguistics that's the place to be.

The major strength of UCL though is how all of its masters level courses are set to being integrated, so you can freely take choices from say the French department or something, plus you get a free back stage tour to the British Museum and, if you want, a chance to work on the Oxyrinchos project.

KCL seems to be under rated, I don't really get why as it seems to give a solid showing, they boast probably the best course on Greek Lyric poetry you can find anywhere though obviously it requires a solid knowledge of Greek and lots of prepratory reading. I do get the impression though that KCL and RHUL are definitely more on the "literary" side.

Ultimately though it doesn't overly matter, it's one of the strengths of the federal programme, choose based on who you want your advisor to be since you can take any courses you want from any department. Although you said your course is offered by the history dept so I'm not sure if the same rules apply. Perhaps you should be a bit more circumspect in your choices haha.

Also the summer course you're considering taking is based around the JACT reading Greek course, it should get you reading Greek pretty fast (if you work hard).

I hope that was clear.
(Occasionally) Working on the following tutorials:

(P)Aristotle, Theophrastus and Peripatetic Greek
Intro Greek Poetry
Latin Historical Prose

David.W
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Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:17 am

Re: How to make decision on Greek/Latin intensive summer cou

Post by David.W »

Thanks!
You've given some insights on UCL & King's program, from which I benefited quite a bit. I wish we could become course mates,haha!

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