on Sidgwick's prose composition quick questions

[Tertius_Robertus]

χαι?ετε

two things i must now, 1 how much does it presupposes of grammar, 2 how much should a begginer be picking out?

cheers!

[annis]

@Tertius Robertus

two things i must now, 1 how much does it presupposes of grammar, 2 how much should a begginer be picking out?

You should be reading wild prose before you start in on Sidgwick. Even Hillard and North, a more gentle glide into prose comp, assumes you already know μι-present verbs, which are usually near the end of most Greek courses.

[edonnelly]

You may also be interested in Sidgwick’s First Greek Writer (scans of which are available both here and on Google Books). It does not presume much Greek, and the author sees it as an intro to his Composition book, as he says in the Preface:

@Preface

THE object of this little book is to help those who are beginning Greek to learn from the first to write the language as well as read it. There is among many teachers a strong belief (which I am inclined to share) that Greek is mastered much more effectively if a little writing be combined with the reading, even from the earliest stages. The great inferiority of the knowledge of Greek acquired at schools, as compared with Latin, is partly, no doubt, due to the language being harder and begun later, but partly also to the fact that Latin writing is cultivated from the first, while Greek writing is so commonly neglected.

The difficulties of Greek composition fall naturally into three heads,—difficulties of Accidence, of Syntax, and of Idiom. Speaking broadly, this book is meant to deal chiefly with the first, and so may serve as a first stage (for those who mean to pursue the study) to my Introduction to Greek Prose Composition - which deals with the other two sets of difficulties included under the head of Syntax and Idiom.

I’ve been thinking about tackling this one after I get through Pharr, but clearly that much Greek is not a prerequisite for this book.

Google Books: First Greek Writer – KEY

textkit: First Greek Writer – KEY

[Tertius_Robertus]

thanks guys

You should be reading wild prose before you start in on Sidgwick. Even Hillard and North, a more gentle glide into prose comp, assumes you already know μι-present verbs, which are usually near the end of most Greek courses.

noted. when i grow up ill think about them

You may also be interested in Sidgwick’s First Greek Writer

i am but he says on the prelude to the exercises (there on the last sections of the book) that it is need nothing but the a and o declensions of nouns and adjectives, however in the proper grammar sections there are several examples with participles, adverbs and third declension nouns etc. (im fearing lest some surprises occur )

[edonnelly]

@Tertius Robertus

You may also be interested in Sidgwick’s First Greek Writer

i am but he says on the prelude to the exercises (there on the last sections of the book) that it is need nothing but the a and o declensions of nouns and adjectives, however in the proper grammar sections there are several examples with participles, adverbs and third declension nouns etc. (im fearing lest some surprises occur )

It’s a graded book, so he introduces more and more as you move through the exercises. Every 5 - 10 exercises he adds something new, always with a description of what he’s doing. I’m strongly considering spending some time with it, but my major concern is the mixing of Attic & Homeric as I also continue on with the Iliad. Unfortunately, there’s no comparable book for the Homeric dialect that I have found, so this may be my best choice.

[Tertius_Robertus]

It’s a graded book, so he introduces more and more as you move through the exercises. Every 5 - 10 exercises he adds something new, always with a description of what he’s doing. I’m strongly considering spending some time with it, but my major concern is the mixing of Attic & Homeric as I also continue on with the Iliad. Unfortunately, there’s no comparable book for the Homeric dialect that I have found, so this may be my best choice.

this is interesting, i will give a shot as for mixing the dialects, annis has advised in another thread against this, that one should wait til the end of pharr, or probably to the end of th iliad. (i have completelly given up pharr and jumped into attic, that i can feel myself freer to this enterprise )