From: Rbsads@aol.com
Date: Sat Sep 08 2001 - 13:40:20 EDT
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: Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:37:06 EDT
<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica>In a message dated 9/7/01 11:14:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
<BR>bwpowers@optusnet.com.au writes:
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>But all we need to do at Introductory Greek stage is tell our students of
<BR>those few occasions when an accent matters.<FONT SIZE=3>
<BR></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">
<BR>
<BR>Dear Brent,
<BR>
<BR>I would respectfully disagree with Dr Powers, whose new grammar has been so
<BR>much praised on B-greek.
<BR>
<BR>It is a little brash to disagree with someone who has published his own
<BR>grammar text, but I speak with the authority of a beginning NT Greek student,
<BR>who is teaching himself with the help of some beginner texts, an intermediate
<BR>text, a Greek bible and a lexicon, and with the help of the patient and
<BR>knowledgeable moderators and participants of the B-greek list.
<BR>
<BR>And I know that the consensus of present day teaching is not to emphasize
<BR>learning the accents.
<BR>
<BR>My first grammar text quite emphatically announced its intention not to
<BR>burden me with the accent rules.
<BR>
<BR>What I found was that when reading from a Greek bible my lack of knowledge
<BR>and familiarity with regard to the accents became a serious impediment.
<BR>
<BR>Since I was able to find an old-school text which stressed accents, taught
<BR>the 8 case functions, and emphasized translation from English to Greek, my
<BR>knowledge and reading have improved significantly.
<BR>
<BR>Additionally, learning pronunciation according to the accents has helped my
<BR>vocabulary and my spelling.
<BR>
<BR>I regret not having a forum to learn to speak NT Greek. There is no doubt
<BR>that practice in speaking would aid my understanding of the language.
<BR>
<BR>My recommendation is to teach the accent rules, to teach the 8 case functions
<BR>(their short comings can be pointed out in intermediate Greek class, but the
<BR>8 case functions have aided my learning the prepositions), to translate from
<BR>English to Greek, and to speak NT Greek as much as possible.
<BR>
<BR>Of course, the accent rules, along with the other suggested emphases, cannot
<BR>be taught in one class. They must be repeated and practiced with every class
<BR>and with every exercise. And that is my recommendation, from a 7 month old
<BR>NT Greek beginner.
<BR>
<BR>Some burdens are worthy and necessary of bearing. I think that consistent
<BR>practice with accents would be an easy yoke and light burden, both worthy and
<BR>necessary to bear.
<BR>
<BR>And it may be that easy shortcuts are more of a burden than are thoroughness
<BR>and completeness.
<BR>
<BR>Peace,
<BR>
<BR>Richard Smith
<BR>Chattanooga, TN</FONT>
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