How Useful Are Ancient Greek and Latin?

Nikolas   Sat Jun 28, 2008 12:01 pm GMT
For a person involved in classical studies that is. Do you think it's necessary to pick up one of these languages to go along with the major and if so, which one?
Skippy   Sat Jun 28, 2008 2:38 pm GMT
Yes, absolutely. If you're studying the Classics you should probably be able to read them in their original language... Latin is not too difficult, I'd recommend starting with Greek. After that, Latin would be a breeze.
Guest   Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:23 pm GMT
Greek is more difficult than Latin. People who study Classic stuff , at least in my country, begin with Latin and later start with Greek.
J.C.   Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:26 pm GMT
Nikolas: I'm glad you chose such an interesting field of study and regret the fact that I skipped so many Greek and Latin classes in college to play snooker...
I would also study Greek since Latin can be learned much more easily due to the vocabulary and, if you know any Latin language, things will be even easier. I took 1 year Greek (I think it was the "jonic" dialect) in college and also studied the so called "koiné" Greek in order to read the New Testemant.
My suggested bibliography for studying Greek is as follows:
"Learn New Testament Greek" by John H. Dobson (Bible Society)
"An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon", Liddell and Scott, Oxford.
In addition to that I found the following links:
http://victoria.tc.ca/~ub608/greek.html
http://www.biblicalgreek.org/

As for Latin, I will try o find the book I used to have and will let you know!!

Good luck with your classical studies!!!

Cheers!!
Guest   Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:15 pm GMT
I just took a year of Latin and we used Wheelock's Latin, which is great and comes recommended.
Skippy   Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:33 pm GMT
Greek IS harder than Latin, that's why I recommend plowing through it first. Latin will be much easier after studying Greek.
Guest   Sun Jun 29, 2008 6:50 am GMT
why? what's the relation between them?
Guest   Sun Jun 29, 2008 6:59 am GMT
<<Greek IS harder than Latin, that's why I recommend plowing through it first. Latin will be much easier after studying Greek.>>

Sounds like a terrible plan. Everyone knows it's better to learn the easier one first so you're more prepared to take on something hard. Especially if you've never learnt a language before. I thought that was obvious... I guess not every shares my level of intellect.
Nikolas   Sun Jun 29, 2008 7:08 am GMT
"Sounds like a terrible plan. Everyone knows it's better to learn the easier one first so you're more prepared to take on something hard. Especially if you've never learnt a language before. I thought that was obvious... I guess not every shares my level of intellect."

Actually, I was thinking the exact same thing. "Practicing" with an easier language such as Latin would make studying Ancient Greek all the more easier, I'm thinking.
Skippy   Sun Jun 29, 2008 2:03 pm GMT
There's going to be little overlap between the two, so I still say go with the harder one first. It's going to make you appreciate the ease with which you'll pick up Latin. Going from Latin to Greek is not going to give you any benefits, but going the other way, if nothing else, will give you the psychological benefit of not being psyched out by its difficulty.
greg   Sun Jun 29, 2008 2:10 pm GMT
L'avis général, jusqu'ici, semble être que le latin est plus "facile" que le grec. Pour quelle(s) raison(s) ?
Skippy   Sun Jun 29, 2008 3:48 pm GMT
The first obstacle is the alphabet and, although not difficult, it is an obstacle nonetheless. Greek also has the middle voice, a declining definite article, seven verb tenses to Latin's six...

The most important difference is familiarity: most people are much more familiar with Latin's derivative languages (not to mention random Latin terms and phrases) than Greek's. That makes vocabulary learning much easier with Latin. Greek words (at least in English) are confined to medical, technical, etc. terms, most of which are completely opaque to English speakers, whereas Latin words can, by most educated speakers of English (or anyone who has taken an SAT course) be dissected by prefixes and suffixes still in use in English whereas, with Greek, this is not the case.

Kai su teknon? gets a lot less attention than et tu Brute?
Guest   Sun Jun 29, 2008 7:30 pm GMT
I suppose a real classisist should also learn Sanskrit, Hittite, Sumerian, Hebrew, etc. How hard are these languages, compared to Greekl and Latin?
Guest   Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:25 pm GMT
It's a ridiculous idea to take Greek before Latin in order to "appreciate" the "ease" with which you would then pick up Latin. LOL!
Guest   Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:51 pm GMT
Amabo te!