Reading Greek: Text and Vocabulary (Reading Greek)
£14.61
Not a beginners book really - I have been studying this book with the Open University and found the almost vertical learning curve it presents very difficult to endure. Though the book is lovely looking - nice clear font, well illustrated - and the facing vocabulary is in the right place - generally oposite the Greek - wading through these texts is just too difficult for a beginner distance learner. The vocabulary becomes unnecessarily complicated very quickly and quite a few new words are not glossed, adding to the frustration. Despite really dogged determination and two attempts I could not get past 7c and abandoned this book entirely at that point, though I did complete the grammar and vocabulary learning to the end of section 9, using the companion grammar book and OU materials. This really is not a beginners book and I would recommend it only as a follow on to some other introductory Ancient Greek course (if I had found a good one, I would recommend it!)
Stands Alone ? - Like its first edition (1978) the second edition of Reading Greek comprises two volumes. Unlike the first edition the SECOND EDITION has text and related vocabulary in the same volume. In the editor s words : the TEXT can now act as a stand- alone revision reader for anyone who has a basic grasp of ancient Greek, whatever beginner s course they have used.This review relates to the volume TEXT AND VOCABULARY,SECOND EDITION and is directed mainly at autodidacts like myself.If you have worked your way through John Taylor s Greek to GCSE,parts and 2 get yourself a copy of the TEXT. It is a handsomely produced paperback which will complement and extend JT. You might be tempted to treat the first hundred pages or so of adapted Greek as armchair reading and feel some self-satisfaction,surely not wholly misplaced , in getting through the TEXT so quickly. It is out of the armchair and back to the desk, however, for the second half of the TEXT. Here there is lightly adapted Attic ( Aristophanes, Demosthenes) ,unadapted Attic ( Plato, Protagoras 320D-323A),unadapted Ionian ( Herodotus) and Homer( from Odyssey 6).If your route to Greek is via John Taylor s work, resist the temptation to start on the TEXT until you have completed JT parts 1 and 2. The reason is simply that grammatical points are not covered in the same order in JT and Reading Greek . For example,alpha and omega contract verbs appear very early in the TEXT ,but fairly late on in JT. Further, as I recall, only phainomai of the four common verbs with dependent participle is explained in JT Part 2, the others not being treated in JT until page 60 of his Greek beyond GCSE (2008).By contrast ,all four of these verbs are used at a very early stage in the TEXT.If like me ,you have learned the basic grammar of Attic only , the question arises of how to approach the language used in Homer. Do we buy a copy of Reading Greek: Grammar and Exercises just for an introduction to Homer s language. An alternative worth considering is Peter V.Jones translation and commentary Odyssey 1 & 2 (Aris and Phillips 1991,ISBN 085668 470 8). PVJ provides not only a five page summary guide Basic Homeric Grammar but also help with grammar and vocabulary page by page of the Greek text.Finally, although the TEXT is an outstanding buy on its own, there is the potential bonus of using it alongside the JACT s forthcoming audio CD. The TEXT passages are also linked to the English language reference text World of Athens(2nd edition).
A Splendid Reading Book - Reading Greek is part of the JACT series of books dealing with the Ancient Greek language/s. Before going any further, I feel I ought to point out that I have not yet purchased any of the other JACT books. I chose this one because I wanted to practise my reading within in a guided format, and also because the owl on the front cover is so utterly charming.The intention behind this book is for the student to work through the accompanying volumes in the series. Without them, this book will not be much use. However, if you have already studied the main nuts and bolts of the Ancient Greek language (Attic dialect) elsewhere, it will prove to be most rewarding. Having worked my way through the Greek to GCSE books by John Taylor, I was able to start reading immediately.The quality of this publication is very high - the paper is superb, while the font or typeface is definitely clear, reassuringly large at the beginning of the book.It starts off with stories relating a ship voyage, using only the present tense (active). Other writings from the world of Plato and Euripides follow, and the grammar becomes more complex, as does the authenticity of the language. There is even some Homer at the end.There are dashes and lines to connect the various inflected words and articles, which must be a welcoming sight for learners who view declensions with a mixture of fear and resentment, and perhaps a little suspicion. Similarly, there are vocabulary blocks within each section, as well as text in English providing a brief background. Finally, the relevant links in the accompanying volumes are made in this book.Overall, I enjoy using this book. The only minor niggles for me are the abundant repetition of key words / phrases at the beginning (but it is for learners, I suppose) and the implied expense of having to buy all the other books to make the whole picture come together. I especially appreciate the guided tour it gives, enabling the solitary learner to improve his or her reading skills.