Introduction to Ancient Greek (Greek 1)
Fall 2010, TTh 1140-120 AB 343
Robin Mitchell-Boyask, Professor of Classics,
327 Anderson Hall,
1-3672, robin@temple.edu. Office hours: TTh 130-230 and M 9-10
Course web site: http://www.temple.edu/classics/greek1/
Subject web site: http://www.temple.edu/classics/greek/
updated 21 March 2011
Texts: John Taylor, Greek to GSCE Part 1, Bristol Classical Press/Duckworth
John Taylor, Greek to GSCE Part 2 (2nd edition), Bristol Classical Press/Duckworth
These can be found at TUB under "Greek".
Overview: This course introduces you to the language of the ancient Greeks. Because our textbook stresses learning Greek by reading about its original speakers, you will also learn about Greek culture and history. By the end of the year, you will be reading actual ancient Greek texts!! That is, you will if you survive! This course will be hard, but it will also be extremely rewarding. No matter how clever you are, learning Greek will take a fair amount of time. You should not take this course unless you are willing and able to spend some time on Greek every day, for this time will be the single most important factor in your level of success. I will give you as much help as you want or need. We will complete this semester Greek to GSCE Part 1, and roughly half of Part 2. In the first semester of Greek, the readings feature Aesop's fables, a prose paraphrase of the Cyclops episode from Homer's Odyssey and stories about Alexander the Great. The second semester includes progressively more "real" selections from Plato, Thucydides, Greek myth, and stories from Herodotus. During April we will read real, unadulterated, selections from Plato (including the myth of Atlantis), Xenophon and Lysias.
Approach: We stress learning Greek through reading progressively harder passages of the original language, a practice accompanied by memorizing important vocabulary and forms. It is very important that you not wander off or fall behind. Thus you will have a vocabulary quiz every Monday on the previous week's new words (there is a list at the end of each chapter) and a grammar and reading test three times during the semester, and a final. If you are going to miss a class, you must call or email me, and I will return your message as soon as I can with your assignment. There will be brief homework assignments for almost every class meeting. I also assign weekly vocabulary quizzes because memorizing a word's meaning then allows you to concentrate on its form when you are reading. Understanding a word rests on a combination of absolute meaning and contextual form. Learn the meaning and half the battle is won! An extra bonus here is that understanding Greek roots will increase your English vocabulary tremendously. Daily work is crucial; for any course you should spend two hours studying for every hour in class, so for this course you should devote eight hours each week if you would like to receive a high grade and actually learn to read Greek.
SOS? If you at any point feel overwhelmed, dumber than everyone else in the class, or just plain confused, please talk to me. Don’t sneak away and then try to avoid running into me on campus. I am very willing to offer advice or extra help. Consider setting up study groups with your classmates. There will be students around the module who have completed this course already.
Grades:
If you miss a quiz or test without notifying me in advance with justification, you may not make up the assignment.
Note that I will weigh the second half of the course more heavily than the first if you show real improvement as the semester progresses.
Homework: Completion of assigned homework is extremely important for learning the language. Ideally, you should complete your homework on non-class days, not one hour before we meet! Normal homework may be handed in one meeting late and still receive credit.
Starting out: By Wednesday, learn the Greek alphabet for a quiz (see pages 1 and 6; be able to write out the alphabet in order, in lower case letters). I STRONGLY urge to you consult a new interactive web site (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/greek/index.html) for learning the Greek alphabet and the basic principles of the Greek language. For now, learn the lower case letters, since these are the ones you will see the most. The single biggest obstacle most students face as they begin is the alphabet, so if you get used to it quickly, the rest will be much easier. The single biggest obstacle most students face as they begin is the alphabet, so if you get used to it quickly, the rest will be much easier. Check out this Guide for writing Greek letters
How to Study:
Schedule: (Subject to modifications)
| Week | Section | Main topics |
| Aug 30- Sep 3 | 1 | alphabet, present tense, singular 1st and 2nd declension nouns. |
| Sept 8-10 | 2 (No class Thursday due to Rosh Hashana) | plural 1st and 2nd declension nouns, "to be", neuter nouns |
| Sept 13-17 | 3 | Prepositions, adverbs, infinitives, tenses: future and imperfect |
| Sept 20-24 | Test Monday; 4 | Aorist tense |
| Sept 27-Oct 1 | 4-5 | Accents, present participles |
| Oct. 4-8 | 5 | Third declension |
| Oct 11-15 | 6 | aorist participles, future participles, personal pronouns |
| Oct 18-22 | 6 | |
| Oct 25-29 | Test Wednesday or Friday through Ch 6 | |
| Nov 1-5 | 7 | Passive voice, relative clauses, comparatives |
| Nov 8-12 | 7 | Root aorist, result clauses |
| Nov 15-19 | 7-8 | Middle voice; reflexive pronouns; |
| Nov 22-24 | 8 | aorist passive, genitive absolute |
| Nov 29-Dec 3 | Take home test due Wednesday 8 | infinitives |
| Dec 6-8 | 8 (9?) | aorist imperatives and infinitives |
| Dec 14 | Final exam 1030-1230 | review sessions can be scheduled |
Important dates:
Disability disclosure statement: Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources at 215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Statement on Academic Freedom: Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link: http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02.