From: KevLAnder@aol.com
Date: Wed Aug 30 1995 - 22:16:15 EDT
I could go into a lecture about comparative philology in defense of the
eight-case system, but I won't since most interested persons can read such
information in Dana & Mantey or A.T. Robertson.
When I have taught Greek to new students at Nazarene Theological Seminary
(Kansas City), I have taught the eight-case system. I used Ray Summers'
grammar. I believe that when students learn the eight-case system from the
beginning they are the better prepared to interface with both systems more
easily. I never found eight-cases to be more confusing to students than five.
If anything, exposure to the eight-case system drove home the fact that case
function is more significant for interpretation than case form. Oh, and by
the way, I used Brooks & Winbery during second semester Greek as the grammar
of choice to consult in tandem with translation of 1 John, largely because
they have incorporated the eight-case system into their explanations of
syntax.
I must hasten to add that when I teach Greek again in the future I will
probably use David Alan Black's excellent grammar. Although he does not use
the eight-case system, his grammar has the quality of being concise in its
explanations and in its presentation of morphology as Summers is. So it can
be seen that I do not think that eight cases vs. five cases is a life or
death issue.
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