Tips for learning Ancient Greek (Part 1)

Tips to help you find the easiest way to learn ancient Attic and Koine (New Testament) Greek.

Part 4: How books teach ancient Greek. Coming

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My 2-cent books on Amazon: public domain texts especially formatted for Ancient Greek reading practice (Gospels) or quick scholarly reference (Prepositions), and each priced at just 2-cents above the minimum Amazon allows.

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This one is not a two cent book.

Easy Ancient Greek Practice: combines two classic books into one: North & Hillard’s Greek Prose Composition for Schools and the separate book Key to GPC for Schools.

When I started Greek I made a Loeb-format cut–and–tape–and–scan–and–reprint version of this classic learn Greek pair. It was the best reading practice book I used. You can buy reprints of the originals (Greek only, or English only) on Amazon, but a combined Greek and English version has not been available. So I made one and put it on Amazon. Enjoy.

[mickparker]

An extremely thoughtful and intelligent discussion. I’m trying to learn Latin but almost everything was relevant and very useful. Thank you!

[shannonluster]

This is so straightforward and methodic. Very helpful. I've become interested in ancient Greek history and decided to climb Grammer mountain.

[Ded_Silu]

I have been learning Russian and Arabic for a long time. From that experience, I would suggest for anyone learning any foreign language, study deeply how a basic sentence is put together and learn its meaning in your most dominant language. Then go deep into inflections, declensions, verb conjugations, etc. etc.

[MrCurtis]

This has been so helpful, it's just perfect for a beginner to get a handle on. Thanks, keep the series going please.

[LinguarumFautor]

I started with Pharr's Homeric Greek. The advantage is that you immediately get a story that will engage you as you learn the grammar and that the repetitive nature of epic aids in vocabulary acquisition. The disadvantage is that you do not learn the important conditions of Greek at the same formative stage as those who start with Attic and that the variations in vowel length in epic and some other poetic genres do not carry into prose.

[JayRedding_]

Sometimes I'd rather read old books rather than talk to people.

[James-nvfi]

Truly a view from the foothills of Greek’s Grammar Mountain. Speaking as an average Joe, your description of the trail is spot on.

I laughed out loud when I saw JACT, Greek to GCSE and Athenaze straddling the peak. Nice to know that other mere mortals have struggled to gain a foothold as much as myself.

Thanks for the video, I haven’t seen any other so relatable a video as this in 8 years of study.

[davidholt]

Not to argue with this as I think your points are spot on but learning Modern Greek really does help you to learn Ancient Greek. By this I mean learning to speak Modern Greek. You will find that you will pick up grammar more naturally and firmly if you speak Greek and you will have constant and motivating "aha" moments concerning vocabulary, etymology and so on. Find a good Greek program such as Pimsleur or better yet a native Greek speaker to practice with or even better go to Greece!

[jasonbrock]

Thank you! I'm about to embark on the Great Courses for Ancient Greek and this was very helpful.

[johnboyce]

A very helpful wee series. I'm sorry it came to an end!

[jrclad]

Very accurate experienced points ! Congrats !

[dorianphilotheates]

1:17 — I’m a “colourful local”, and you can talk to me in Ancient Greek to your heart’s content: I will understand what you say, and I will respond to you in the same language. As for (Ancient) Greek being a dead language, Ancient, Middle or Modern, I assure you: it’s all Greek to me...Greetings from Delphi, Greece! 🌿🏛🇬🇷

[TheDollsLives]

I have never look anything up to do with ancient Greek but here this is and I'm interested

[onescreentwomovies]

Very helpful overview. Thank you! But why not start with the books of high school: gymnasium? Adolescents of 12 till about 18 year learn Greek and Latin and the books they use are excellent in creating a solid foundation of these classic languages. And as a bonus they introduce a lot of interesting history and geography.

[davidholt]

Instead of thinking that you have to climb Grammar Mountain, it's more fun to think of skiing DOWN Grammar Mountain. Your aim is an exhilarating, precarious and often scary race down to your final goal, having a whooping great time all the way. As the Greeks say, "Opa"!

[faithlesshound]

What's the point of studying Latin or Ancient Greek? To read books, to speak to scholars or priests, to write letters or books, or to compose poetry. The universities used to teach in Latin until the 18th century, and some exams continued to be held in Latin well into the 19th century. The College of Physicians in London (founded 1518) usually held their oral exam in Latin until the 19th century, but there was the option for it to be held in Ancient Greek. Only a handful of people ever took up the offer.

Verse composition used to be the summit of achievement at school or, more often, university. In England there used to be public examinations for National Scholarships, which paid for you to go to university before the local authorities started giving out grants (after the war) to everyone whose parents were not well off. These became assimilated into the GCE system as Special papers to be taken with or after A Levels. In Latin and Greek there were two standard S Level papers, and the option of a third in Verse Composition. I don't know if anyone took them in recent years.

Oxford and Cambridge also offered cash prizes to undergraduates for poetry in the classical languages. That's rather like how Classical (Mandarin) Chinese used to be encouraged. I am not aware of anyone publishing these student compositions in modern times: they must still lie mouldering in the archives. That activity went on from about the 16th century.

[Pantora]

First of all sir, ancient Greek is NOT a dead language, but a language that we Greeks (and not only)use still today, incorporated in the new Greek (as in English) and using in daily life. The pronunciation changed, but the words remained. The way sentences form changed of course. Some words we use as they were and some involved. Like nyx (night) became nykti (Koine)and then nychta (new) We also still follow the same writing system.(Orthography). You (or somebody else ) translated the sentence: <You shall worship....> the last word incorrect. The last word is not serve but adore.

[batbite_]

Question: so you have never been at the decoding stage?

[JSMcKee-fwdz]

Can you please do you book review on this "Easy Ancient Greek Practice:" book?

[wenbacik]

Many people are fluent in Ancient Greek. You can speak to them conversationally.