Greek II

Greek II

Instructor: Justin Barber
Email: justin.barber@iliff.edu

Course Description : This course is the second course of a year-long sequence designed to give students the ability to read and interpret Koine (or Hellenistic) Greek. Such ability is essential for students who wish to understand the New Testament, the Septuagint (and “Old Greek”), other Jewish literature, early Christian literature, and other Mediterranean literature. The fall and winter quarters of this course are devoted to giving the student the ability to read Greek at a basic level. These quarters will include a survey of Greek grammar and the development of a basic Greek vocabulary. The spring quarter will primarily be devoted to the reading and exegesis of Greek texts and will further develop the student’s vocabulary and the student’s understanding of Greek grammar.

Required Text:

Croy, N. Clayton. A Primer of Biblical Greek. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 2011. (ISBN-13: 978-0802867339)

Recommended Books:

The following books will not be used during the Winter Quarter, but they are inordinately useful for reading and interpreting Greek texts and developing competency in reading Greek.

Danker, Frederick W., Walter Bauer, and William Arndt. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament  and Other Early Christian Literature . 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001. (ISBN-13: 978-0226039336)

Danker, Frederick W. and Kathryn Krug. The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament . Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2009. (ISBN-13: 978-0226136158)

Nestle, Eberhard, Erwin Nestle, Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, Bruce M. Metzger, and Universität Münster. Novum Testamentum Graece. 28 Aufl., Stuttgart 2012. (ISBN-13: 978-1619700307)

Van Voorst, Robert E. Building Your New Testament Greek Vocabulary . Resources for Biblical Study. 3rd ed. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2001. (ISBN-13: 978-0884140429)

Course Goals: This year-long sequence will endeavor to do the following:

Course Outcomes: Students should possess the following competencies when they complete this year-long sequence:

1. Actively read through chapters 16-31 of Croy’s A Primer of Basic Greek.
We will work through chapters 16-31 of Croy’s grammar by covering approximately one-and-a-half chapters per week, on average. The chapters are not generally long, and you would do well to review them a second time after you read through them once. We will have some time to review at various points in the quarter.

2. Complete enough exercises to make yourself comfortable with the syntax and vocabulary of each chapter and be able to translate them without your notes.
Last quarter, I recommended that students do at least eight exercises every chapter. Frequently, I have had students complete all of the exercises for most chapters (excluding the English-to-Greek composition exercises, although some did these as well). The better you know and understand the exercises from the New Testament and the Septuagint, the better you will know the material that each chapter covers. I want you to know however many exercises you choose well enough to translate them without the aid of your notes. Consequently, I expect you to make a short video of yourself reading five or more exercises from every chapter without any translation aids. If you forget a word, you can look it up in the back of your book. Please, though, do not write in your book! I am looking for evidence of progress, not perfection, in your translations!

3. Participate in group reading and exegetical exercises.
Throughout the quarter, we will have the opportunity to meet together to read Greek in Google Hangouts. If your schedule permits, join us as you are able. If your schedule does not permit, consider translating a biblical passage in that week’s discussion area. In addition, we will have occasion to discussion related to Greek exegesis. I expect you to contribute substantively to these discussions.

4. Submit an informal learning agreement (approximately one half of a page to a page) by the end of week 2.
Too often, instructors limit how students learn based upon their own pedagogical predispositions. Several studies have noted, however, that people learn languages in different ways. What may work for one person may not work for another. In this learning agreement, please identify (1) how you expect this class to contribute to the goals you have for taking the course, (2) what concrete actions you plan to take to meet these goals, and (3) the grade you hope to receive at the end of this course. Your goals should be attainable with reasonable effort. After you and I read Greek together privately for the second time, we can discuss how you have met, not met, or surpassed your goals and whether you feel you have earned the grade you set out to attain. In the majority of cases, you will receive the grade you feel you have earned. If I see major discrepancies between the grade you feel you have earned and your overall grasp of the material, we will enter into negotiation.

5. Read with me twice throughout the quarter privately (once in the middle of the quarter and once before the end of the quarter), so that we can identify your strengths and weaknesses in order to direct your energies more efficiently.
These are not examinations per se. Rather, they allow us to assess your progress and deficiencies together in order to determine how you might reach your long term goal to know Greek.

6. Develop a substantial vocabulary (in order to wean you as soon as possible from relying too heavily on a lexicon!).
All students will be expected to know the vocabulary Croy presents in his Primer. Some students want to achieve even greater proficiency in Greek. The best way to prepare for intermediate Greek is to develop a substantial Greek vocabulary. In modern languages, first year students will generally attain a working vocabulary of 1500-2000 words. Unfortunately, ancient language instructors often have rather lower expectations. After a student knows 2000 words, that student can generally start to guess the meaning of unknown vocabulary words with a fairly high degree of accuracy. Students who want to read Greek at an intermediate level one day should focus on building their vocabulary as much as possible. In order to receive a passing grade for the course, I will expect you to offer evidence that shows you know at least 70% of the vocabulary.

DateDayDetails
Jan 11, 2022TueVerbs: The Second Aorist Active and Middle Indicative and Infinitivedue by 06:59AM
Jan 21, 2022FriVerbs: Present Participlesdue by 06:59AM
Jan 21, 2022FriLesson 18 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Jan 25, 2022TueMore participial practicedue by 06:59AM
Jan 26, 2022WedExegetical Discussion #1due by 06:59AM
Jan 28, 2022FriVerbs: Aorist Active and Middle Participlesdue by 06:59AM
Jan 28, 2022FriLesson 19 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Feb 01, 2022TueVerbs: Aorist Passive and Perfect Participlesdue by 06:59AM
Feb 01, 2022TueLesson 20 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Feb 04, 2022FriVerbs: Contract Verbsdue by 06:59AM
Feb 04, 2022FriLesson 21 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Feb 08, 2022TueVerbs: Liquid Verbsdue by 06:59AM
Feb 08, 2022TueLesson 22 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Feb 11, 2022FriVerbs: The Subjunctive Mooddue by 06:59AM
Feb 11, 2022FriLesson 23 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Feb 12, 2022SatExegetical Discussion #2due by 06:59AM
Feb 12, 2022Sat(Optional!) Quiz to Review Some Vocabularydue by 06:59AM
Feb 14, 2022Mon(Optional!) Review Quizdue by 06:59AM
Feb 15, 2022TueVerbs: The Infinitivedue by 06:59AM
Feb 15, 2022TueLesson 24 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Feb 16, 2022WedExegetical Discussion #3due by 06:59AM
Feb 16, 2022Wed(Optional!) Participle Review Quizdue by 06:59AM
Feb 16, 2022WedMore practice (optional)due by 06:59AM
Feb 18, 2022FriNouns: Other Third Declension Nounsdue by 06:59AM
Feb 18, 2022FriLesson 25 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Feb 25, 2022FriVerbs: The Imperativedue by 06:59AM
Feb 25, 2022FriLesson 26 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Mar 01, 2022TueOther Kinds of Pronounsdue by 06:59AM
Mar 01, 2022TueLesson 27 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Mar 02, 2022WedExegetical Discussion #4due by 06:59AM
Mar 04, 2022FriVerbs: -μι Verbs Part 1 - δίδωμιdue by 06:59AM
Mar 04, 2022FriLesson 28 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Mar 08, 2022TueVerbs: -μι Verbs Part 2 - τίθημιdue by 06:59AM
Mar 08, 2022TueLesson 29 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Mar 11, 2022FriVerbs: -μι Verbs Part 3 - ἵστημιdue by 06:59AM
Mar 11, 2022FriLesson 30 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Mar 13, 2022Sun(Optional but strongly recommended--at least the video) Comparatives, Adverbs, etc.due by 06:59AM
Mar 13, 2022Sun(Totally Optional!) Lesson 31 Exercisesdue by 06:59AM
Mar 13, 2022Sun(Totally Optional!) Names, the Optative, etc.due by 06:59AM
Mar 13, 2022SunLesson 32 Exercises (optional, but be sure to scan before next quarter)due by 06:59AM
Mar 13, 2022SunSelf-Assessmentdue by 06:59AM