by Barry Hofstetter » October 13th, 2012, 8:02 am
A couple of quick follow up comments – Carl gives some excellent observations, but it's difficult for me to see how the use of an interlinear really helps anyone in the long run develop the ability independently to read Greek. There is perhaps a short term benefit of being able to look at the English and check one's understanding, but it has an overall crippling influence. A car will get you from point a to point b, but if you are in training for track and field, running is better. I am using the UBS reader edition for my intermediate Greek students, and have found that the benefit of having the vocabulary defined for quick reference is extremely helpful for both preparation and sight reading. Of course, every time we complete a page, they are responsible for a quiz on that page, including the vocabulary, the next time our class meets (and no, it's not an open book quiz!).
N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Instructor of Classics
The American Academy