B019101 - GREEK LANGUAGE LABORATORY

Italian

Introduction to the basic knowledge of ancient Greek language for absolute beginners. Phonetics, morphology, grammar, and Greek lexicon with basic notions of syntax.

F. Montanari, A. Barabino, N. Marini Hesperia. Grammatica descrittiva della lingua greca, Torino Loescher 2011

C. Neri, Methodos. Corso di lingua e cultura greca, con la collaborazione G. Alvoni, R. Batisti, M. Olivieri, Firenze, D’Anna 2018

If previously discussed with the teacher, it is possible to employ other Greek grammars.

Students will learn skills in phonetics, morphology, syntax and Greek lexicon enabling them to read, understand and translate Greek texts of low and medium difficulty: first and second part.

None, except for the knowledge of Italian language. The class is basically conceived for students with no experience with ancient Greek language.

Theoretical-practical: frontal lectures alternating with interactive reading, analysis and translation of texts. The course requires active participation in the classroom as well as independent work at home.

The laboratory requires constant independent training and study.

Intermediate tests aimed at providing a continuous feedback on the topics taught and learned in class. All the skills learned during the laboratory will be examined through a written translation and analysis of an ancient Greek text (low and medium difficulty) to be done at the end of the course. Through the final exam, grammatical notions as well as students’ capability of comprehension and translation will be tested.

The first hours will be devoted to Greek phonetics and elementary notions useful to read properly ancient Greek prose texts: Greek alphabet, syllabic quantity, rules for Greek accentuation and main phonetical phenomena.
The remaining part of the first half of the course will be focused on the morphology of nominal parts of speech, along with lexicographical training and introductory elements to the verbal system and to the main morpho-syntactical constructs: the three declinations of names, classes and degree of adjectives, formations of adverbs; structure of the verbal system, diathesis and flexion; thematic and athematic verbs; principal and historical tenses, verbal aspect; the stem of the Present; most common particles and prepositions.
The second part of the course will be mainly devoted to pronouns and verb morphology, alternating with lexicographical training and introductory notions to the main morpho-syntactic constructs: pronouns; stem of the Aorist and of the Perfect; verbal adjectives; particles, adverbs and conjunctions; main prepositional constructs.