Re: Little Greeks

Jonathan Robie (jwrobie@mindspring.com)
Mon, 29 Sep 1997 08:33:14 -0400

At 04:52 PM 9/28/97 -0400, David L. Moore wrote:
>
>I see we've come across a valid usage for that erstwhile
>denomination "little Greeks."

I am still calling myself a "little Greek", but my usage has changed
somewhat. When I first started using it, I meant to make it clear that I do
not claim to be an expert on the Greek language. Then Carl Conrad suggested
that perhaps we are all little Greeks. I like that. And it has two
advantages over the original meaning I gave the term: (1) it is more
democratic, and does not separate us into Big Greeks and Little Greeks; (2)
it lets me hold onto the title for longer, since there is a certain danger
that I will eventually know Greek well enough to know what I am talking about.

Here is my blurb on "What is a Little Greek" from my Little Greek Home Page
("http://www.mindspring.com/~jwrobie/littleGreek.html"):

<QUOTE>

What is a little Greek?

A "Little Greek" is someone who is still learning Greek. The phrase
originated when someone on the B-Greek Mailing List suggested that "a little
Greek is a dangerous thing". I replied that I am a Little Greek, and I am
dangerous, but so are some of the Big Greeks. Most Greek grammars say a few
things that are completely wrong, and most noted authorities on the Greek
language have said at least one stupid thing. But there is good news: even
Really Incredibly Awesome Big Greeks can be Little Greeks too, as long as
they realize one thing:

ecomen de ton qhsauron touton en ostrakinois skeuesin, ina h hperbolh ths
dunamews h tou qeou kai mh ec hmwn.
(2 Cor 4:7)

Those who don't know aren't dangerous; those who insist they do know are
very dangerous. This is just as true for Really Big Greeks as for Little
Greeks. Each of us knows only in part; if we want to profit by studying
Greek, we must have the humility and the patience to learn one step at a
time, to be corrected by others, and be open to the Spirit who guides us in
all truth.

</QUOTE>

In that sense, I hope that I will always be a Little Greek, and I honestly
believe that some of the Really Incredibly Awesome Big Greeks on this list
have shown themselves to be Little Greeks too.

Jonathan

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