[B-Greek] re: How to Define 1st year Greek?
R Yochanan Bitan Buth
ybitan at mscc.huji.ac.il
Sat Jul 3 13:22:01 EDT 2004
>I'm just starting out on my study of NT Greek, using Dobsons 2nd ed of
'Learn New Testament Greek'. This is in 52 chapters so ought to take me 6-7
months to complete.
I always see Greek study discussed in terms of 1st, 2nd and 3rd year and I
know this refers to College and University study, ie 30 weeks a year. But
how does this apply to the self-learner who can study 365 days a year? What
vocab and grammar levels actually define 1st, 2nd and 3rd year Greek?
Regards,
Martin Wells,
Bristol,
UK>
Shalom Martin,
Your question has an easy answer and a provocative answer.
"one year Greek" is an academic convention that means the equivalent of a
class that meets for an adademic year. In many settings classes meet 3, 4 or
5 hours during a week for about 30 weeks, totalling between 90 and 150
classroom hours.
The provocative answer is to ask yourself what can be learned in 90 to 150
classroom hours of a modern language and use that standard for evaluating
progress with Greek. If such a standard were used, students would be able to
communicate with each other in Greek on a basic level at the end of 3 years.
No one usually does this latter thing, on the grounds that "Greek is a dead
language" and is therefore not comparable to what can be done in a good
German or Russian program. But, provocatively, any language is a dead
language inside a classroom and there is no theoretical limitation between
progress made in German or Russsian versus progress made in Greek.
Meanwhile, just enjoy your Dobson book. When you have finished the book it
will probably be the equivalent of 90 classhours, depending on how little or
much outside/suggested reading you do.
If the second edition has added accent marks I would recommend reading the
syllables with accents as stressed syllables. It is nice to learn to
pronounce the words from the beginning in approximately their correct form.
ERRWSO (be well)
Randall Buth
Randall Buth, PhD
Director, Biblical Language Center
www.biblicalulpan.org
and Director, Biblical Studies in Israel
Hebrew University, Rothberg International School
ybitan at mscc.huji.ac.il
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