[B-Greek] Proficiency Guidelines/just for the JOY of it
Peter Hamm
peter at hamm-multimedia.com
Mon Feb 14 09:30:50 EST 2005
Thanks for the excellent discussion of the apparently different standards
between levels of competency in classical versus living languages. I want to
add a note to this, though. I am one of those learning to read Koine Greek
for the SOLE purpose of being able to read the New Testament in its original
language, and perhaps the LXX and early church fathers, and I feel like
there is NO shortage of joy in this. When I tried to learn Latin years ago
in school and then Spanish, I really got no pleasure out of it (and I wasn't
so good at it, to be sure), so I was nervous to try Greek. But because of
the fairly unique goal of this task (I have a fairly high regard for the
Bible to begin with) I have had more excitement in this task than ANYTHING
ELSE I've ever studied.
I am at chapters 21 and 22 of Mounce's book, and yesterday I sat down with
the first chapter of Mark, only a lexicon, a Greek NT, and my trusty Max and
Mary at my side, and I was able to translate an entire chapter without
"cheating" with an English translation for the first time. I only had to use
Max and Mary three or four times, and I learned something new every time!
I'm not so clear on all the verbal forms, but it's coming. I'm also not
about to be so foolish as to trust my translation more than the "big boys",
but the immense JOY of understanding WHY the NET team or the NIV team or the
NRSV team chose what they chose is awesome.
I think those of us who are learning this ancient language solely for the
purpose of reading that "one book" get to experience something that is well
worth the effort of what will surely be a lifelong pursuit.
Peter Hamm
Greek Newbie and all-around cool guy...
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