[B-Greek] Funk and 'monitors'

Jonathan Robie jwrobie at mindspring.com
Mon Jun 4 07:33:50 EDT 2007


I think this whole question relates to the value of synthetic and analytical thought - both are good.

When it comes to language, I think Randall is right that we rarely think analytically about grammar in a language we know well - until someone makes a mistake, in which case we may point out, "but that's a plural, it can't be the antecedent for a singular pronoun", an analytical argument based on the kinds of things we learn about in traditional grammars. Intuitive, natural approaches are best for general reading, but analytical approaches are helpful in cases of doubt, or when we need to talk to someone else about something that looks like a mistake in their reading. Without being able to talk about the grammar, it's hard to make progress when our intuition is wrong.

To me, this is the genius of Funk's grammar - it teaches both the natural, intuitive units of language found in phrases and clauses, and the traditional former grammar, and it does both together in each lesson.

For what it's worth, I've also found this combination helpful in learning modern languages. I love Rosetta Stone software, which uses immersion techniques similar to those Randall likes best, but when I learned Dutch a few years ago before spending 6 weeks in Belgium, I also used a phrasebook (a nice intuitive language tool) and Essential Dutch, a trimmed-down summary of Dutch grammar. That's exactly the approach I'd take again, it was very efficient.

That said, I do think that it is possible to teach the content of Funk's grammar using primarily synthetic approaches, but I don't haven't seen the materials to do so. Perhaps Randall has them in his school, but I suspect that it's Randall himself, as a teacher, who conveys this information to his students, based on his mastery of the material.

I wish I could afford to go to Randall's school! As it is, I'm very glad I have Funk's grammar. I'm working my way through it slowly, and it's the first New Testament Greek grammar that I really like.

Jonathan





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