techniques for reading without difficulty

Textkit is a learning community- introduce yourself here. Use the Open Board to introduce yourself, chat about off-topic issues and get to know each other.
Post Reply
cb
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 764
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:52 pm

techniques for reading without difficulty

Post by cb »

hi all, in the grk forum i just posted my own ideas on learning to read attic without difficulty, following a different approach to the traditional "complete your textbook then grab a text plus commentary plus dictionary and drag yourself through it word by word and translate into your native language" approach:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11634

i'd be really interested in hearing how other members have approach reading grk or latin and if you have any original ideas on this which can help the rest of us. thanks!

cheers, chad :)

User avatar
thesaurus
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1012
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:44 pm

Re: techniques for reading without difficulty

Post by thesaurus »

I think it's a brilliant discussion/strategy and clearly the result of extended personal experience, trial, and error. I don't know what plans are afoot for the main site, but I think this and other plans of its nature (alternate strategies) should be publicized more widely rather than buried in a random thread about Aristotle. Certainly, "reading without difficulty" ought to be the primary aim of anyone seriously studying Latin or Greek.

I'd love to see similar discussions with regard to Latin from those who have the experience. I haven't approached Latin in this systematic way, and while I feel good about my comprehension, I fear that it is full of many holes. I certainly lack the systematic study of inter- and intra-sentence syntax.

Also, from personal experience and reading these discussions, I know that Greek requires a much more intense, disciplined approach than Latin if one is going to attain anything like "reading without difficulty." At least for speakers of most European languages, Latin offers a relatively quicker payoff in terms of vocabulary recognition, which I understand to be a primary hurdle in your approach.
Horae quidem cedunt et dies et menses et anni, nec praeteritum tempus umquam revertitur nec quid sequatur sciri potest. Quod cuique temporis ad vivendum datur, eo debet esse contentus. --Cicero, De Senectute

Post Reply