Comments on: Keep your Greek: Testing some lines 5 http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/2010/01/19/keep-your-greek-testing-some-lines-5/ Bible Hermeneutics, Ethics & Preaching Tue, 06 Jul 2010 01:35:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Marsha Cleaveland http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/2010/01/19/keep-your-greek-testing-some-lines-5/#comment-993 Marsha Cleaveland Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:46:51 +0000 http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/?p=1063#comment-993 I began sight-reading Greek in my first semester of study. Because I have lived abroad for years, learning languages 'in situ', I understand the benefit of massive exposure to a language, in spite of a lack of precision in understanding. This gave me three immediate benefits: 1) I frequently saw the vocabulary I was working so hard to learn -- in context; 2) I grew to have an organic feel for the syntactical structure before being harassed with all the syntactic tags; 3) I learned to quickly spot the vocabulary "stems" and approximate a meaning in spite of not knowing how to parse every suffix. I began with the Gospel of John, and within 8 months had read all four Gospels. This approach has the added value of seeing similar vocabulary repeated through the gospels, as well as re-reading familiar stories, usually without extremely long, convoluted sentences. A chapter a day of sight-reading is my current goal, in addition to the advanced Greek workbooks and Grammars I am using. I find that reading it last thing at night cements my learning and allows my mind to contemplate the Greek from a relaxed state. I began sight-reading Greek in my first semester of study. Because I have lived abroad for years, learning languages ‘in situ’, I understand the benefit of massive exposure to a language, in spite of a lack of precision in understanding. This gave me three immediate benefits: 1) I frequently saw the vocabulary I was working so hard to learn — in context; 2) I grew to have an organic feel for the syntactical structure before being harassed with all the syntactic tags; 3) I learned to quickly spot the vocabulary “stems” and approximate a meaning in spite of not knowing how to parse every suffix.

I began with the Gospel of John, and within 8 months had read all four Gospels. This approach has the added value of seeing similar vocabulary repeated through the gospels, as well as re-reading familiar stories, usually without extremely long, convoluted sentences.

A chapter a day of sight-reading is my current goal, in addition to the advanced Greek workbooks and Grammars I am using. I find that reading it last thing at night cements my learning and allows my mind to contemplate the Greek from a relaxed state.

]]> By: Don Berman http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/2010/01/19/keep-your-greek-testing-some-lines-5/#comment-991 Don Berman Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:23:29 +0000 http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/?p=1063#comment-991 Do you think reading it quickly would apply to those who are beginners (or after doing 1st year)? Do you think reading it quickly would apply to those who are beginners (or after doing 1st year)?

]]> By: Con Campbell http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/2010/01/19/keep-your-greek-testing-some-lines-5/#comment-972 Con Campbell Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:39:08 +0000 http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/?p=1063#comment-972 Great to hear that, Jason. Great to hear that, Jason.

]]> By: Con Campbell http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/2010/01/19/keep-your-greek-testing-some-lines-5/#comment-971 Con Campbell Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:38:35 +0000 http://readbetterpreachbetter.com/?p=1063#comment-971 Yes, Steve, though I think it is also useful to 'dissect' the text from time to time in order to sharpen one's precision with the details. Yes, Steve, though I think it is also useful to ‘dissect’ the text from time to time in order to sharpen one’s precision with the details.

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