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What Greek software is still unmade?

Posted: May 17th, 2012, 9:54 am
by GarySimmons
Since I find myself unable to get a job teaching Greek (lacking a degree tends to have that difficulty), I am taking up computer programming as a breadwinning skill.

So, why not combine the two, I asked myself.

δια τουτο γραφω υμιν, τι προγραμμα ετι δει ποιεισθαι;

ομολογω οτι νυν συνιω Ελληνιστι μονον, αλλα ου την Αττικην, κτλ.

ευχαριστω υμιν περι τας αποκρισεις.

Re: What Greek software is still unmade?

Posted: May 17th, 2012, 4:32 pm
by Jonathan Robie
More power to you if you find a job programming Greek software. Sounds like you need this to provide income, it has to be more than a hobby?

What's your programming background?

I'd love to have such a job myself ...

Re: What Greek software is still unmade?

Posted: May 18th, 2012, 10:10 am
by David Lim
GarySimmons wrote:Since I find myself unable to get a job teaching Greek (lacking a degree tends to have that difficulty), I am taking up computer programming as a breadwinning skill.

So, why not combine the two, I asked myself.

δια τουτο γραφω υμιν, τι προγραμμα ετι δει ποιεισθαι;

ομολογω οτι νυν συνιω Ελληνιστι μονον, αλλα ου την Αττικην, κτλ.

ευχαριστω υμιν περι τας αποκρισεις.
δοκει μοι οτι δει διδασκειν σε προγραμματισμον και την ελληνικη γλωσσαν προστιθεναι μονον εν τω εχειν σε πολλην σχολην
και ου συ θελεις ειπειν συνιημι αντι συνιω
I think that you should teach programming and add Greek only when you have plenty of free time.
And did you not mean to say "συνιημι" instead of "συνιω"? ;)

Re: What Greek software is still unmade?

Posted: May 19th, 2012, 1:48 am
by RandallButh
David Lim wrote:
GarySimmons wrote:...
ομολογω οτι νυν συνιω Ελληνιστι μονον, αλλα ου την Αττικην, κτλ.

...
...
And did you not mean to say "συνιημι" instead of "συνιω"? ;)

It's not playing fair to correct to an Attic form when someone exlicitly says that they are working within post-Alexandrian Greek.
A person needs to let a Josephus say ἔδωκαν on occasion.

Re: What Greek software is still unmade?

Posted: May 19th, 2012, 11:02 am
by David Lim
RandallButh wrote:
David Lim wrote:
GarySimmons wrote:...
ομολογω οτι νυν συνιω Ελληνιστι μονον, αλλα ου την Αττικην, κτλ.

...
...
And did you not mean to say "συνιημι" instead of "συνιω"? ;)

It's not playing fair to correct to an Attic form when someone exlicitly says that they are working within post-Alexandrian Greek.
A person needs to let a Josephus say ἔδωκαν on occasion.
Oh okay sorry I did not know "συνιω" occurred in Koine Greek.

Re: What Greek software is still unmade?

Posted: May 19th, 2012, 2:24 pm
by Nikolaos Adamou
Something like GarageBand, that would analyze the fluctuation of the sound in Greek.
My current studies using garageband show that there is much larger variation then even the modern Greeks think of
and the voice, when properly trained, or when it comes from villages and it is not the Athenian standardized, has all its old beautify.
Not all ι, η, υ, ει, οι, υι, sound the same,
ᾗ is different from ᾖ but is not hῇ.
In such a way, that on one line you can see the text, and on a parallel line you can see the sound, and you can hear it as well.

Re: What Greek software is still unmade?

Posted: May 20th, 2012, 11:04 am
by Paul-Nitz
What can a computer program do? It can do audio and visual. A/V is good, but I'm coming to the conclusion that it's only a smidgen better than ink on paper. In fact, ink on paper instruction coupled with imagination is probably far better than the best A/V language helps (e.g. Rosetta).

If I could have my wish, I would like to see a video game which teaches Greek.

My recent reading of Asher's "Language Acquisition through Action" makes me think it would be a great medium. If you lean toward the right (brain wise), I think you would see the same potential after reading Asher's book. See http://www.biblicallanguagecenter.com/e ... ach-greek/ for a bit more on that.

I'm thinking that...
a - When playing a video game the motor portions of the brain are activated. Spoken language and virtual motion could be easily coupled without ever physically moving from behind a computer.
b - When teaching Asher's way (Total Physical Response - TPR), one of the limitations is the physical setting and objects to manipulate. According to Asher, an ideal TPR classroom would have wings with a living room, a bus station, or other real life settings. Why? So that you can go and connect sight, motion, and language in all those settings. What could be easier in a video game than creating any environment and objects you wished? You could have a 100AD Greek town, for Πετρου sake!
c - Video games also can incorporate music and art - more avenues into the right hemisphere.
d - There are great many more people in this world who want to learn Greek, but have no other option than self-instruction. Self-instruction using TPR, as far as I know, a niche that is entirely open.
e - Ideally, you could work up to a course that would systematically teach what's in any basic first year primer. But Initial versions of this video game could be VERY simple. You could start with a list of common, concrete verbs and make the user virtually move in response. The graphics don't even have to be realistic. They just have to engage my motor cortex. (Robert E. Van Voorst's list of vocabulary might be a good resource for that.)
f- If you succeed at doing this for Greek, the potential for any other language is unlimited. Some of the work on Greek could be straight up transferred to another language. The graphics/programming for "pick it up and throw it" will work with any language.

TPR Greek in a video game. Wow!
πρᾶξον ταυτα, και εγω εμπλήσω λιαν, ναι αγορασω προγραμμα ως τουτο!

Re: What Greek software is still unmade?

Posted: June 20th, 2012, 12:35 am
by NathanSmith
Greek autocomplete/suggestion (making use of diacritics) would be a nice resource for making the typing of Greek easier.