Funk's (Notorious) B.I.G. (was: Beginning Greek Grammar)

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Mon Jul 15 11:45:45 EDT 2002


At 10:02 AM -0500 7/15/02, Perry L Stepp wrote:
>Speaking of new approaches to beginning grammar--has the revision of
>Funk's Beginning-Intermediate Grammar ever seen the light of day?  Darryl
>Schmidt told me, several years ago, that a complete revision was in the
>planning stages.  I haven't heard anything since, however.

Perry, my understanding is that what Darryl Schmidt is working on (with a
committee) is a new Hellenistic Grammar that is to replace BDF, NOT a
revision of the Beginning-Intermediate Grammar--that, IMHO, would be "a
consummation devoutly to be wished." But my impression is that it's based
upon an outmoded version of Chomsky's transformational grammar.

>Adam's grammar is another "new approach" grammar, one that is currently
>available--I say that, although of late I'm less sure I know what "new
>approach" means.

I used Adam's grammar a couple years ago in teaching the intensive
one-month course at Eden Seminary; frankly I was disappointed with it--I
think there's almost always a problem when one practices what one is
learning on made-up Greek sentences rather than original (even if adapted)
connected Greek paragraphs.
-- 

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
Most months:: 1647 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu OR cwconrad at ioa.com
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/



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