Ancient Greek: A New Approach

By Carl A.P. Ruck

Carl Ruck has here attempted (and succeeded, refreshingly) to present Greek as a delight unto itself, "communication with genius" in his words. Intended for the beginning student, Ancient Greekpresents its selections grouped according to theme. Several similar readings are handled at one time, allowing the student to recognize the various modes of expression used by the selected authors (Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Homer, Plato, etc.) and the relative successes or failures of one mode over another. This recognition comes prior to rule-learning and results in a more thorough understanding of which particular syntax will create a certain effect. Rather than the familiar vocabulary tests, Carl Ruck follows these theme groupings with basic reading comprehension tests, allowing the student to keep the Greek in terms of Greek. Cautioning against the use of traditional translation tests, which would serve only to reinforce the conversion learning process, the author warns the teacher that the student prepared by his method will not have the glib facility with translation exercises which the older method recognizes as the only test of excellence. He will have something far more lasting, more whole, more important: he will have Greek.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0262180472
• ISBN13: 9780262180474
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Mit Pr
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 2.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 1.0" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Good Book (Kalov Bibliov)

I think that this is one of the better Greek language books out there. It presents the information in a very unique (and, I believe, more structurally sound) way. The "horizontal" approach to grammar is much more practical than the traditional paradigm, or vertical, approach. This book allows you to learn grammar as a means towards communication, rather than as a list of rules to be memorized and, if possible, applied later. I would recommend using this book, and perhaps supplementing it with another, more traditional, Greek textbook. After all, it certainly doesn't hurt to approach the material from multiple angles.