Ancient Greek - beginner group

foreign languages

Practical language classes, 60 hours per year, aiming to familiarize students with the rudiments of Ancient Greek: inflection and syntax. With this basic knowledge, it is easier to master the structure and vocabulary (roots) of Modern Greek. The classes will prepare students for reading simple or simplified texts by ancient authors, thus also teaching them about ancient Greek and Roman culture.

The students will:

- learn about the main rules of Ancient Greek grammar (helpful in learning Modern Greek as well)

- master basic vocabulary

- translate simple texts by ancient authors (e.g. sayings)

- learn about selected topics from Ancient Greek culture (literature, philosophy, art, daily life, mentality of the Ancient Greeks) on the basis of source texts without the mediation of a translation.

1. Introductory information

2. The indicative and imperative moods and the infinitive of first-conjugation verbs.

3. Second-declension nouns and adjectives.

4. Personal pronouns. Medium-passivum praesentis in conjugation I.

5. First-declension nouns and adjectives. Accusativus cum infinitivo.

6. Contract verbs with -έω. Participium praesentis medii-passivi.

7. Contract nouns and adjectives of declensions I and II. Accusativus dupplex.

8. Pronouns: ὅδε, οὗτος, ἐκεῖνος, αὐτός.

9. Imperfectum of first-conjugation verbs.

10. Third-declension nouns, stems ending in a stop consonant.

11. Third declension, stems with -ν, -ρ. Aorist II activi et medii.

12. Third declension, stems ending with -ντ.

13. Participium praesentis et aoristi activi. The functions of participles.

14. Genetivus absolutus. Aorist I activi.

15. Aorist I medii. Interrogtaive pronoun τίς, τί. Reflexive pronouns.

16. Nouns: πατήρ, μήτηρ, ἀνήρ, γυνή oraz γένος. Participium praedicativum.

17. Contract verbs with -άω. Noun πόλις.

18. Contract verbs with -όω. Noun βασιλεύς.

19. Passive aorist.

20. Root aorist.

21. Futurum.

22. Translating excerpts from Aesop, Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, Aelian, Longus, The Pallatine Anthology, Anacreontics, the Bible, etc.

Polskojęzyczna:

M. Borowska, Mormolyke. Książka do nauki języka starogreckiego, Warszawa 1996.

M. Golias, Gramatyka języka greckiego, Warszawa 1985.

M. Golias, Wstępna nauka języka greckiego, cz. 1: Teksty, cz. 2: Preparacje, Warszawa 1975.

Z. Węclewski (opr. O. Jurewicz), Słownik grecko-polski, t. I i II,

Z. Abramowiczówna, Słownik grecko-polski, t. I–IV.

N. Marinone, Słownik fleksyjnych form czasowników greckich, Bydgoszcz 2001.

K. Kumaniecki, Historia kultury starożytnej Grecji i Rzymu, Warszawa 1955.

P. Grimal, Słownik mitologii greckiej i rzymskiej, Wrocław 1997.

Z. Piszczek (red.), Mała encyklopedia kultury antycznej, Warszawa 1966.

Obcojęzyczna:

M. Malme, G. Lawall, L. Miraglia, T.F. Bórri, Athenaze. Introduzione al greco antico. Parte I, Montella 2009.

J-P. Guglielmi, Le Grec ancien. Collecuion sans Peine,, Channevieres sur Marne Cedex, 2003.

H. Hansen, G. M. Quinn, Greek. An Intensive Course, New York, 1992.

H. W. Smyth, Greek Grammar, Cambridge, Massachusetts 1984.

A. Bailly (ed.), Dictionnaire grec-française,

Lidell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon.

R. Tosi, Dizionario delle sentenze latine e greche, Milano 1997.

Learning outcomes:

KNOWLEDGE:

- awareness of the complexity of the Greek language and the role of Ancient Greek in the development of modern languages

- basic knowledge on inflection and selected phenomena of Ancient Greek syntax (Attican dialect)

- familiarity with selected basic vocabulary

- elementary knowledge on selected issues of Ancient Greek culture

SKILLS:

- translating simple Ancient Greek texts with a dictionary

- identifying basic inflected forms and selected syntactic structures of Ancient Greek (Attican dialect)

- identifying Greek roots in Polish scientific terminology, at a basic level

SOCIAL COMPETENCES:

- awareness of the limited scope of their knowledge and the need for continual learning

- the ability to work in a group and individually

Credits will be based on:

- being prepared for class

- individual activeness

- mid-semester grammar and translation tests

1. During the semester, about 3-5 written tests (just grammar, or grammar with elements of translation, or translation [of a longer text] with elements of grammar).

2. After the second semester, a final test – a fragment of original text for translation.

3. During every class, assessing how well students are prepared and how active they are in class.

4. Attendance is mandatory – 2 absences per semester are allowed. If more classes are missed, the student has to make up for them with a test during the teacher’s duty hours.