From: clayton stirling bartholomew (c.s.bartholomew@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Tue Jan 09 2001 - 14:40:20 EST
on 1/9/01 11:04 AM, Dale M. Wheeler wrote:
> . . . you are doing the one, best thing...reading/translating. It is the
> number one thing that most students don't get a chance to do in a significant
> enough quantity while in school and the number one reason that a high
> percentage stop using their Greek when they get into the ministry...they
> simply can't read. They are, for all intents and purposes, grammatical
> experts in a language they can't read or understand. My encouragement to you
> is keep reading and the rest of the info will come to you and you'll be able
> to understand and use it most effectively.
Dale has made a direct hit on one of the most glaring problems with learning
Koine Greek. Most of us are drawn into discussions of lexical, syntactical
and discourse level issues a long long time before we are able to read the
text. Meaningful discussion of lexical, syntactical and discourse issues
presupposes the ability to read the text. Learning to read is the first
priority. The endless analysis of things like verb aspect and the semantic
domains of AGAPW/PHILEW does NOT really contribute much to your ability to
read NT Greek. These discussions are useful for doing exegesis but if you
are still learning to read the text they will rob you of valuable time.
I have only one little nit to pick with Dale's remarks. I would make a big
distinction between reading and translating. Unless you are working on a
translation, translating is going to defer your learning to read. First and
second year students are taught to translate as a legitimate aid to reading
but it becomes for many students a life long habit. I would phase out
translating as soon as possible. I am doing this with my studies in Homer,
where I am a perennial first/second year student. I am only translating
difficult idioms, and gradually less and less is translated.
Clay
--
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062
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