[B-Greek] What are some other languages that would be useful toknow alongside Koine Greek?

Barry nebarry at verizon.net
Sun Apr 11 09:21:55 EDT 2004


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jonathan Ferguson" <notchking at yahoo.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 8:30 AM
Subject: [B-Greek] What are some other languages that would be useful toknow
alongside Koine Greek?


> Greetings,
>      While I was in highschool, I had a German class, two years of spanish,
and a short French class.  German and French I enjoyed and did very well at,
Spanish, I just wanted to pass.  The reason I took so many different language
classes was due to switching schools (the Christian school I switched to didn't
have German, so I had to take spanish).
>
>      I thoroughly enjoy German and French is rather close to it as well, so I
was wondering, what language should I pursue other than Greek (and Hebrew in
seminary)?  I've read that Latin is supposed to be a good language to learn with
Greek, but I'd rather learn that later.  What would ya'll suggest?
>
>      As I've mentioned in another message, my goal is to one day teach in a
seminary, and so I'd want to have a good grip on Koine.

What is your current major?  If is not a humanities, then switch immediately.
Majors in History, Classics, and Philosophy/Religious studies (if you can keep
your head about you) are especially good pre-seminary degrees.

Don't fool around: if your school offers it, take Greek right away.  Classical
Greek is fine, even better.  The transition to Koine is rather easy when you
begin with Classical, and the more extra-biblical Greek you read, the better
will be your grip on the specific language of the NT.  Latin?  Certainly.  Not
only is it its own reward, to paraphrase a famous member of this list, but you'd
be surprised how much theological literature was originally written in Latin,
and how many theological terms are Latin based.  It can only help, not hurt.

N.E. Barry Hofstetter
B.A., Ancient Studies, Univ. of Maryland
M.A. Classics, Ohio State Univ.
M.Div., Pastoral Emphasis, Westminster Theo. Sem.
Th.M., NT Studies, WTS
Ph.D.A.B.D.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1yfx7/





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