What is the best book for learning Greek accentuation (when one is primarily studying Classical Greek)?
I have been recommended both P. Probert’s ‘A new short guide to the accentuation of ancient Greek’, and D.A. Carson’s ‘Greek Accents’. Would anyone here have advice on choosing between the two, or other suggestions? I already have a good grip of grammar, vocabulary, and accentuation of verbs.
Thank you in advance.
The two books that you have been recommended are about accentuation, not accidence. Are you trying to learn verb forms (λυω λυεις λυει λυομεν λυετε λυουσι), or how words are accented? λυω → λύω. ποταμος → ποταμός. ἀνθρωπος → ἄνθρωπος.
My mistake, it should be ‘accentuation’, not ‘accidence’.
Thank you for correcting that.
The Probert book is good, although she recommends at the beginning learning the accents as you learn the vocabulary instead of trying to use the rules in her book. Probert is really a summary of the important rules from Chandler’s Greek Accentuation, made into workbook format. But that is tremendously useful. While Chandler is amazing, his title “A practical introduction…” is an example of his dark humor.
If you’re interested in ancient Greek accentuation, and/or if you’re studying classical Greek, Probert’s is the book to use. She’s a linguist, and a professor at Oxford University.
Carson’s book is for New Testament students who like to learn rules and not to think. He’s at an evangelical divinity school in Illinois and advertises himself as “the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The God Who Is There and How Long, O Lord.” (If you’re a Monty Python fan you’ll remember the lifeboat sketch: “How long is it?” “That’s a rather personal question sir.”)
For what it’s worth:
https://www.amazon.com/Basics-Greek-Accents-Lessons-Exercises/dp/0310555647
I second msw’s remarks. You can really get by pretty well with the basic accentuation rules you learn in almost any introductory text, but if you’re learning prose composition or just want to become a pro, Probert is the way to go. Don’t just read it, do the exercises!
One point in favour of Carson’s book is that it’s legitimately available online for free: Carson, Greek Accents, 1985. If you like rules, it’s set out that way, and a reliable Greek linguist says it’s ‘Good for the basics of lexical accentuation.’
There’s also a handy one-page diagram of the possibilities here: James Tauber, ‘Diagramming Greek Accent Placement’