Reading Greek: Text and Vocabulary

"Reading Greek" (RG) is an excellent two- or three-volume text (depending on whether or not you get the "Independent Study Guide", [ISG] a MUST for self-study). This text is designed along lines similar to those of recent Latin textbooks (e.g., the Oxford Latin Course, the Cambridge Latin Course) and rather different from earlier Greek grammars and textbooks. The student is immediately immersed in a story designed to engage interest, but this "created Greek" gives way, little by little, to the real Greek of the Classics, ultimately the major point of learning Greek at all. The reading material has two different vocabulary lists: one for reading comprehension which need not be memorized, and a second (shorter) list of words to be memorized. With frequent rereading of the passages, however, the student will pick up more of the material in the first list simply by dint of exposure. The "Grammar and Exercises" (GE) text is carefully coordinated with RG so that the student's grammatical knowledge grows apace as he encounters new structures in the reading passages.This is an ambitious text in some ways, but I do not think this is a negative. Grammar is well explained but advances rather rapidly (e.g., contract verbs are introduced immediately after presentation of "normal" verbs, imperatives are introduced, 1st- and 2nd-declension nouns and adjectives are presented...all in Chapter 1!), but the presentations are clear with multiple exercises to drill the student's mastery. If working without a teacher, I advise that the self-studier take his time. The chapters are rather long to begin with, and all will be well if the student simply paces himself reasonably. I do agree with another reviewer up to a point: those who are absolute beginners in language study will find the text challenging. Even a casual knowledge of another inflected language (e.g., Latin, Russian, or even German) will be immensely helpful, especially at the outset. As the author observed in his preface, the traditional classical education usually presumed a knowledge of Latin before the student embarked on Greek, but this is no longer so. Greek is a beautiful, marvelous language, but not an easy one, which is perhaps partly why the rewards for learning it are so great. Consistency and pacing are the key to progress.The "Independent Study Guide" mentioned above is extremely valuable. It not only presents good ideas for study but, most importantly, has a key to all the exercises as well as an English translation of all the reading passages. Even working with an experienced teacher in a classroom, the ISG is a huge help for the learner and should be purchased. There is also an audio CD of the reading passages.In all, an excellent and challenging text for the student who wants to make good strides towards reading real Classical Greek.

If you're like me and you came from the soul-crushing world of pointless grammar-translation and are in the comprehensible input Copernican revolution, you'll love this book. I recommend it equally with Athenaze. Because language is primarily an auditory phenomenon, and language is learned via muscle memory and earworms (not via grammar -- just ask any child), you need to listen to it. So, either get the CDs too or do Athenaze + Luke Ranieri's YouTube channel to get the ancient sounds down. Then, read this one out loud. Staring at a text has very limited usefulness.There's a grammar book that comes with it, which can be helpful every few pages; but, your primary focus must be reading and training your brain to handle the onslaught of words. If you don't do that, you'll be in the pointless model of looking for subjects, verbs, modifiers, and parsing words -- which never works in the real world: "I'm sorry, can you repeat what you just said. I was looking for the subject." The progression in this book + Athenaze will train you to be OK to wait for the verb, subject, modifiers, etc. This is the primary skill needed in reading. Ignoring this is why some people call reading "advanced", when it's really the first step.Just read a clause (at normal speed). Didn't get it? Do it again (AT. NORMAL. SPEED). Let your brain do the heavy lifting. Don't know a word? This book has a super generous glossary with every block of text.

I love this course. I learned Classical Greek in the 90s with Athenaze which is another inductive grammar. I have taught from deductive grammars as well as inductive grammars.The trouble with Athenaze and Reading Greek is the temptation to enjoy the stories and forget the grammar drills. This is especially the case with Reading Greek because the exercises and grammar are in a separate book. Students pick up a lot of vocabulary and grammar intuitively and one is tempted to think the classic drills are unnecessary. However my experience is that the level of knowledge obtainable in that way is limited. There will be large gaps in their knowledge. Grammar drills and exercises are essential.With that caveat in mind, Reading Greek is a pure delight to study and teach. Students enjoy reading extensive selections from day one. New grammar is illustrated in the narrative itself. Afterwards the teacher explains the grammar/new paradigms and follows up with drills and exercises. When students reread the narrative they do so with greater understanding.A warning about the digital version: there are extensive vocabulary lists adjacent to every narrative. A student’s eyes can easily hop between the vocabulary list and the reading selection. This is more difficult on an iPad or tablet and positively troublesome on an iPhone. This action flipping back and forth will disrupt the pace a new student can read. A student should only use a digital copy as a supplement to their hard copy.Incidentally, I believe this course is a great path to biblical Greek. The Greek art, mythology and ideas may be a turn-off to some individuals who only want to read the Bible. However, with Reading Greek, students learn words in their normal everyday context first. When the sacred/theological context is introduced later there can be a sense of illumination.

As someone who works 9/5 and no easy access to take classes, this gives me the ability to learn at my own pace and on the go. I had taken a week before ordering to get the αλφαβετος down, and the text is made extremely comprehensible. The milestones and breakthroughs have been incredible, and I plan to order the Grammer and independent study books as well. 5 stars