[B-Greek] Interlinear Greek-English NT
Terry and Gail Cook
cookie99 at fuse.net
Tue Dec 27 14:51:02 EST 2005
Jim West said: "Don't get an interlinear- it will only cripple you. Do the
hard work,
memorize the words that occur more than 100 times, memorize paradigms,
and learn the grammar."
I am in the middle of third year Greek; from my personal experience an
Interlinear is not such a bad tool. Yes one should try to memorize the most
common words and the principle parts and the myriad of paradigms, but from
my experience that is serious work. Once an individual has memorized these
forms and basic word meanings there's the matter of sitting down and reading
the GNT.
It takes a very long time for someone to have the "expertise" to sit down
and read a GNT for more than a half dozen words. Almost immediately one is
met with a Greek word found less than 100 times (or even 50 times) and the
common words in "unusual forms" are difficult to recognize. By that I mean
there are words that might be easily recognized in their lexical form but
not so easily recognized in their 2nd aorist form or perfect form. Then
there's the problem of word order.
So, reading the GNT without an aid becomes quite frustrating and a chore;
most people abandon the effort. What I've done is covered the English gloss
and tried to read the Greek. If I run into a difficult word I simply slide
the paper a bit.
If reading the GNT in an interlinear allows to one to come in contact with
the GNT and allows one to enjoy reading the GNT then I think a step forward
has been made.
Learning Greek was not like learning English. I learned English a tiny bit
at a time- See spot run. Everyone around me spoke it and encouraged me.
Years went by before anyone expected me to have a command of it.
Greek teachers absolutely throw students in the deep end of the pool. One is
expected to master foreign concepts and paradigms in seven days or less
every week for three quarters. No one else they know is studying the
language and they'll never use it conversationally.
I respectfully say the interlinear may be an opportunity to study Greek a
little more "gently".
Terry Cook
sDg
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim West" <jwest at highland.net>
To: "Ken Wilson" <KWILSON at mbakercorp.com>; <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 2:13 PM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Interlinear Greek-English NT
>
>
> Ken Wilson wrote:
>> I have taken one year of NT Greek (about 20 years ago), and I want to
>> learn how to read the entire NT in its original Greek. It seems to me
>> that an interlinear Greek-English New Testament would be a valuable tool
>> for such a beginner as me. But I want to get the best version available.
>>
>
> Don't get an interlinear- it will only cripple you. Do the hard work,
> memorize the words that occur more than 100 times, memorize paradigms,
> and learn the grammar. It takes time but it can be done.
>
> The use of an interlinear will not help you because you will constantly
> find yourself "cheating".
>
> Anecdotally, when someone asked in our elementary Greek course years ago
> about using one, the Prof nearly blew a gasket- denouncing them in the
> strongest terms as the refuge of the lazy and listless.
>
> The hours you put into actually learning the language will reward you
> far more than a crutch will.
>
> Best
>
> Jim
>
> --
> D. Jim West
> Biblical Studies Resources - http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
> Biblical Theology Weblog - http://biblical-studies.blogspot.com
> ---
> B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek
> B-Greek mailing list
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>
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