[B-Greek] How to Progress from First-Year Grammar to Reading?
Roblumc at comcast.net
Roblumc at comcast.net
Tue Feb 24 09:57:03 EST 2009
Dear Carl,
I wonder if you are familiar with William MacDonald's Enchiridion . It is a little spiral bound handbook that provides for an easy reference grammar while reading the New Testament. The text helps the student follow through on the forms quickly enough and provides the opportunity for review. I have found it useful and it may be helpful in moving from first year to the intermediate kind of reading level. On the downside, the book was published in 1986. I'm not certain it is in print.
Rev. Rob Lewis
Manhattan College (adjunct)
Fordham University (Ph.D. cand.)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl Conrad" <cwconrad2 at mac.com>
To: "Jarrett Cohen" <jarrett_cohen at yahoo.com>
Cc: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 9:11:39 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] How to Progress from First-Year Grammar to Reading?
Jarrett, you've raised a number of alternatives. Fortunately or
unfortunately, you're not going to get a single response but probably
several responses that will run counter some to others. Of the
traditional NT Greek primers, I think Clayton Croy is one of the
better ones. More B-Greekers probably swear by Mounce, but I'm not one
of those. I'd take your Option #1 and go with Rod Decker's Reader; for
Biblical Greek grammar in a more-or-less traditional didactic
approach, I don't think you can find anything more thorough and
precise; if you go through it carefully in its own order, I think
you'll develop very nicely the skills that you want.
I myself am a now-long-retired teacher of Greek, having taught more
classical Attic than Biblical Greek, and I used the JACT Reading Greek
course myself for the last ten years or so of my teaching career. I
would recommend working through it, but perhaps AFTER you consolidate
the Biblical Greek with something like Rod Decker's book. If and when
you get around to it, I might have some more suggestions for its use,
including a supplement that I prepared for my own students and which
is accessible as a PDF file on my own web site.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
On Feb 22, 2009, at 4:26 PM, Jarrett Cohen wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> I am a new member of B-Greek and am writing to seek advice on how to
> progress from studying “first-year” grammar to reading the New
> Testament, and perhaps the Church Fathers, in Greek.
>
> My
> background: I just finished working through Clayton Croy’s “A Primer
> of
> Biblical Greek” (just over half in an online class, the rest on my
> own). At this point, I’m studying independently but may have a study
> partner/mentor in the summer.
>
> It would be great to get feedback on two options I’m considering.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Option #1: Work Through One or More Biblical/Koine Greek Readers
>
> Several Greek readers are listed at:
> http://www.archaicchristianity.com/Blog/Archives/2008/4/28/Greek_AndAFewLatin_Readers_AGallery.aspx
>
> The reader I’m most attracted to is:
> Rodney Decker’s “Koine Greek Reader”
> It ties into intermediate grammars (e.g., Black, Wallace) and
> explains how to use the BDAG lexicon.
>
> Another reader of possible interest is:
> S.M. Baugh’s “A First John Reader: Intermediate Greek Reading Notes
> and Grammar”
>
> Questions
> 1. Is working through a Greek reader a good next step after learning
> grammar basics?
> 2. Do readers work well for independent learners?
> 3. Which reader(s) do list members recommend? I would particularly
> value input from those who have studied with one.
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Option #2: Use Multiple Approaches to Language Learning
>
> An intriguing (although intimidating) learning program is suggested
> by Greg Kane at:
> http://www.pocm.info/good_books_read_greek.htm
>
> Kane advocates three passes through Greek using multiple approaches
> to language learning, summarized below.
>
> Step 1: Learn by doing introduction.
>
> Study John Dobson’s “Learn New Testament Greek” (inductive text).
>
> Do Chapters 1 to 19.
>
> Step 2: Memorize the forms.
>
> Study William Mounce’s “Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar” (deductive
> text).
>
> Step 3: Fill in the gap.
> 3a: Practice with many Greek sentences.
>
> Complete Dobson’s “Learn New Testament Greek.”
> 3b: Read simple Greek stories.
> Study JACT “Reading Greek” or “Athenaze” (graded reading text).
>
> Notes and Questions
> 1.
> I happen to have followed a similar path to Kane’s Steps 1 and 2:
> trying to learn with Dobson but giving up around Chapter 21, and then
> finding the online class and working through Croy’s deductive grammar.
> 2.
> Has anyone on the list tried this approach or something similar? Did
> you find it a good sequence to follow, or was it too time-consuming
> and/or tedious to sustain?
> 3. Would pieces of Step 3 be worthwhile
> to get practice in reading longer passages? For example, the 2008
> edition of “Reading Greek” looks outstanding in previews (check Google
> Books), but might I get confused by the differences in Classical
> Greek?
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Well, I hope that I haven’t prattled on for too long and that
> starting this discussion will be helpful to others on the list.
>
> Thanks in advance for the advice on the options and any other ideas
> you might have!
>
> All the best,
>
> Jarrett
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