Elementary Greek
Monmouth College
I would make them all learn English:
and then I would let the clever ones learn
Latin as an honor,
and Greek as a treat.
--Winston Churchill
Course Description / Texts /
Instructor / Class Goals
and Format / Grading Summary / Grading Scale / Requirements / Useful Websites
/ Class Photo:
Fall /
Spring
Honesty and Plagiarism:
Students are encouraged to do their homework together. All other
classwork, especially quizzes and exams, must be the student's own work. Plagiarism, i.e.,
copying someone else's work without giving credit, is to be avoided. Such copying--from a
book, another classmate's paper, or any other source--is dishonest. Any student submitting
plagiarized work will receive a failing grade for that assignment. If two papers with
identical or nearly identical work are submitted by different students, both papers will
receive a failing grade.
Caveat:
This syllabus is subject to revision by the instructor, provided that
written or verbal notice is given in class.
Course Description:
This course is primarily directed towards students desiring to meet the freshman
requirements for graduation under the foreign language component of the Language
rubric. Elementary Greek can also fulfill partial requirements for a major in Greek
or Classics.
The Monmouth College catalogue gives the following description of courses that meet the
Language requirement:
The creation and use of language is the most significant achievement of human beings, for
our ability to organize our understanding in verbal symbols and to communicate sets us
apart from all other life forms. The symbols of our language make communication possible
at many different levels of meaning and allow us to translate our private experience into
universal terms.... A sure understanding of language is the foundation of all knowledge,
and the ability to use verbal symbols effectively is the most important of all skills.
This component provides that every student have experience with a second language. The
study of a foreign language allows students to see that their native language often
reflects cultural needs and interests at the same time that it shares many basic patterns
with other languages.
The aim of these courses is to learn basic reading and writing skills in Greek as quickly
and as thoroughly as possible. At the end of two terms of Elementary Greek a student
should know the fundamentals of Greek grammar, have a basic Greek vocabulary, and be able
to read any Greek text with the help of a dictionary. Speaking and listening skills in
Greek will be encouraged only in order to assist the development of reading and writing
Greek. READING Greek is much more important than speaking or writing it.
Texts for Greek 101/102:
Groton,
Anne. From Alpha to Omega, An introduction to Classical Greek.
• Rev. Third Edition, Thoroughly Corrected • Focus Publishing 2000 • paperback • 1-58510-034-X
Designed for the first course in Classical Greek, fifty lessons in Classical Greek grammar. Presumes little or no previous language study. Readings drawn from authors such as Aesop and Plato. Successfully used in many programs.
Also:
Bruss, Jon. Supplementary Exercises for From Alpha
to Omega
paperback • 0-941051-61-7 • 96 pages • $14.95 • Focus 1999
Additional exercises for each chapter in the text with answers.
Standing offer for extra credit: If you submit a 250-word review of one of these books to www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com and send the link to the instructor, you will get extra credit in this course. This offer two weeks before the end of the semester.
Class Goals and Format:
Class usually meets on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays from 8:00
A.M. until
8:50 A.M. in the Capron Classics Room of Wallace Hall. Occasionally Friday meetings may
replace other regular meetings. There will be daily assignments from the textbook. In
addition, there may be a number supplementary readings in Greek and map work.
Summary of Grading:
Class Participation 10%
Homework 20%
Quizzes 30%
Exams 40%
This webpage was prepared by Professor Thomas J. Sienkewicz of Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.
Back to the Monmouth College Classics Dept. Homepage