Explaining the Greek Verb System
B. Ward Powers
bwpowers at optusnet.com.au
Sun Jun 2 04:25:35 EDT 2002
At 09:33 PM 020530 -0700, Alan B. Thomas wrote:
>To Ward Powers...
>
>I found this paragraph of yours difficult to
>understand...
>
>Begin quote
>
>Carl's familiarity with classical Attic and Homer, and
>with the history of the language, is a lot greater
>than mine. And we shall continue to differ as to the
>relative significance to be given to synchronic and
>diachronic factors in koine Greek. We are both agreed
>as to the importance of the next generation of
>students becoming well familiar with koine Greek. I
>will continue to focus on the importance of explaining
>just what it is that we have in the GNT, introducing
>diachronic factors only when they have a necessary
>role in explaining what is found in the GNT, and in
>applying linguistic analysis to the words of the GNT.
>
>End quote.
>
>Help me understand your point here.
>
>As a teacher, are you saying it is important to learn
>the diachronic factors so you can teach them when
>necessary?
>
>Just how will you come to know when diachronic factors
>have a necessary role unless you first learn them?!
>You cannot perceive them as having a "necessary role"
>unless you have studied them first. And not only
>studied them, but understand how they influence the
>GNT (Koine). But that seems to be arguing Carl's point.
>Wallace seems to include the entire Hellenistic period
>(300 BC to 300 AD) as within this "synchronic period."
>Isn't that span more appropriately "diachronic" ? I
>think Carl's point about the Greek language being in a
>state of flux is correct; and I really think that even
>within a 100 year period you can notice this flux,
>much less a 600 year clip. [SNIP]
>I consider it time well spent in learning the GNT if you
>first learn the various dialects from which it derives.
>
>
>=====
>Sincerely,
>Alan B. Thomas
Alan,
You say: <<I consider it
time well spent in learning the GNT if you first learn
the various dialects from which it derives.>>
Well, my aim is to get people at the earliest possible minute to the point
of interacting with the text of the Greek NT. In my view, that does not
require them to learn the dialects which preceded koine Greek. Only the
forms which are found in the GNT.
You ask me:
>As a teacher, are you saying it is important to learn
>the diachronic factors so you can teach them when
>necessary?
>
>Just how will you come to know when diachronic factors
>have a necessary role unless you first learn them?!
>You cannot perceive them as having a "necessary role"
>unless you have studied them first. And not only
>studied them, but understand how they influence the
>GNT (Koine). But that seems to be arguing Carl's point.
Now, my view is that a student can come to read the GNT without having to
have studied the prior history of the language. There may well be a few
instances where an understanding of the development of koine Greek may help
a student with forms s/he encounters in the GNT, but not very many. The
instance which comes to my mind is the effect on word forms from the
disappearing phoneme digamma. Therefore I deal with digamma (and the words
which it has affected) in my book.
>Wallace seems to include the entire Hellenistic period
>(300 BC to 300 AD) as within this "synchronic period."
>Isn't that span more appropriately "diachronic" ? I
>think Carl's point about the Greek language being in a
>state of flux is correct; and I really think that even
>within a 100 year period you can notice this flux,
>much less a 600 year clip.
Doesn't affect my point. The question is, What grammar is necessary in
order to be able to understand what we find in the GNT? That is the
criterion for what should be included in a Beginners program. It should
focus on what is usually encountered - rare forms and special constructions
may be better left for Intermediate or Advanced classes or even for
commentaries on particular passages of Greek text: there is room for
discussion about such viewpoints. My view is: don't hold up students being
able to get into the GNT just for the sake of extra teaching about a few
things they will rarely meet.
Regards,
Ward
http://www.netspace.net.au/~bwpowers
Rev Dr B. Ward Powers Phone (International): 61-2-8714-7255
259A Trafalgar Street Phone (Australia): (02) 8714-7255
PETERSHAM NSW 2049 email: bwpowers at optusnet.com.au
AUSTRALIA. Director, Tyndale College
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