From: Eric B. Sowell (bradyman@hotmail.com)
Date: Tue Jul 24 2001 - 15:38:15 EDT
>
> I think the problem really is the lack of reading
> that Greek students do.
Amen
> It seems that some are looking for short-cuts. Those
> who look for laundry lists are approaching Greek the
> wrong way, IMO. We all fall into that mode I suspect.
> We would rather read a grammar or ask a scholar than
> see it for ourselves. In the end, there really is no
> royal road to learning Greek.
Amen again.
> The only way to learn which Gen. best fits a context
> is to have read hundreds/thousands of other Greek
> contexts. Perhaps the best thing we could all do is
> throw away our grammars and learn Greek the old
> fashion way... read, read, read, read.
Of course, intensive exposure to a language is always the best way to learn
a language. And, a lot of grammarians have spent tons of time reading and
have learned the language well, and on that basis have written their
grammars. That's why grammars are useful. Hopefully, they are the product
of hundreds of hours spent in a foreign language. Throwing them away would
be like firing a good and useful tutor.
If two options are given, either read the language a ton and learn it
inductively or read a bunch of grammars, the first option is clearly better.
However, reading a bunch of grammars helps us understand better what we read
(and therefore we can read faster and better). There is no reason to "throw
out" the grammars...that's simply not necessary.
It is undoubtedly true that most NT Greek students see Greek as little more
than a tool for exegesis. And, of course, it is an excellent tool for
exegesis. And, when they approach it they don't really treat it like a
language or learn it well enough where it can be anything more than a
quasi-familiar tool. So, they depend on the grammars for everything and
can't really test what they are reading because they do not know the
language well enough or know the process that one needs to go through to
test grammatical hypothesis. This is so often too true. However, the best
student of Greek, and one who will really be able to use his Greek with
great facility and make good exegetical decisions will be one who learns his
Greek well. But, regardless, grammars are still useful for they can
increase our rate of learning. That's how tutors work with any subject of
study.
> After all, that is what grammars are doing: looking at
> other contexts in which the same or similar
> construction appears. Why take their word for it....
> it's all there for us to read (learn).
>
> Alan B. Thomas
>
Indeed, that is what they do. And, yes, you should not take their word for
it. However, those studies are still beneficial, and for a couple of
reasons. First, it is easy to access peer review. Second, it can help us
locate similar passages and examples so we can do our research. I have a
hard time thinking that any grammarian worth his beans would instruct
students to take their word for it when it comes to research.
Eric B. Sowell
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