[B-Greek] DIHGHMA

Randall Buth randallbuth at gmail.com
Sat Jun 7 16:53:19 EDT 2008


διηγημα μικρον απο της Ελλαδος

δυο εβδομαδας πρωην
διετριβον εν Κω μετα ολιγων φιλων
ευχην ποιησαντων
μονον την Ελληνικην λαλειν.

οι της χωρας ανθρωποι κατεπλαγησαν
ακουειν την ᾽αληθινην καθαραν᾽ γλωσσαν,
βραδεως αλλα σαφως.
και των πλειστων λεγοντων ᾽βραβω᾽ (=θαυμασια!)
εις ειπεν
οτι δει ημας δεξασθαι βραβειον απο της ηγεμονιας της Ελλαδος.

πολλακις μεν ωφειλομεν λεγειν τας διανοιας ημων εν δυσιν οδοις
ωστε αυτους συνιεναι
πολλακις δε συνιεσαν ως ελεγομεν το πρωτον.
εν δυσκολοις τισιν εχρωμεθα την προφοραν μετα ᾽ιτα᾽ (=ητα)
αλλα σπανιον ην η χρεια.
ου δε θαυμαστον ην
οτι απεκρινοντο ημιν εν τη νεα γλωσση.

εν δε τοις διαλογοις μετα των εξω
εβοηθει ημιν η δυναμις
καταλαμβανειν τι εν τη νεα γλωσση
και αξιολογος ην η ᾽κοινη᾽ προφορα
ην εδεχοντο ως Ελληνικην.
διδασδαλος τις ειπεν ημιν
οτι ουκ εχουσιν υπομονην
ακουειν την Ερασμικην προφοραν.

εμαθομεν πολλα.
ου προτιθημι οτι δει ημιν πασιν
ελθειν εις Ελλαδα
ινα λαλωμεν την αρχαιαν γλωσσαν
και ου προτιθημι το μαθειν την αρχαιαν γλωσσαν
δια το επισκεπτεσθαι ωδε.
(και μη πειρασθε τουτο εν Αθηναις,
ευρησετε πλειονα υπομονην εν ταις νησοις)

ωφελιμος ημιν η χρησις πανταχου
ινα λυσιτελεση τη αναγνωσει.
η οδος εστιν μακρα
και νικησομεν δια της υπομονης και θαρσεως.

DIHGHMA MIKRON APO THS ELLADOS
a short report from Greece

DYΟ EBDOMADAS PRWHN
in the recent two weeks
ΔΙEΤΡΙΒON EN KW META OLIGWN FILWN
I've been hanging out in Kos with a few friends
EYXHV POIHSANTWN
who had made a vow
MONON THN ELLHNIKHN LALEIN
to only be speaking Koine Greek.

OI THS XWRAS ANQRWPOI KATEPLAGHSAN
the people of the area were astonished
AKOYEIN THN 'ALHQINHN KAQARAN' GLWSSAN,
to be hearing the 'true, pure' language [their words-RB]
BRADEWS ALLA SAFWS.
slowly but clearly.
KAI TWN PLEISTWN LEGONTWN 'BRABW' (=QAYMASIA)
and while most people said 'bravo' (wonderful)
EIS EIPEN OTI DEI HMAS DEKSASQAI BRABEIΟN APO THS HGEMONIAS TAS ELLADOS.
one said that we should get a prize from the Greek government.
(tourists of the year? walking crazies?-RB)

POLLAKIS MEN WFEILOMEN LEGEIN TAS DIANOIAS HMWN EN DYSIN ODOIS
many times we were needing to say our thoughts in two ways
WSTE AYTOYS SYNIENAI
for them to understand
POLLAKIS DE SYNIESAN WS ELEGOMEN TO PRWTON
and many time they were understanding when we spoke the first time.
EN DYSKOLOIS TISIN EXRWMEQA THN PROFORAN META 'ITA' (=HTA)
in some difficulties we were using the pronunciation with 'ita' (=HTA)
ALLA SPANION HN H XREIA.
but the need was rare.
OY DE QAYMASTON HN
it was not surprising
OTI APEKRINONTO HMIN EN TH NEA GLWSSH
that they answered us in the modern language.

EN DE TOIS DIALOGOIS META TWN EKSW
in the conversations with outsiders
EBOHQEI HMIN H DYNAMIS
the ability was helpful for us
KATALAMBANEIN TI EN TH NEA GLWSSH
to be understanding something in the modern language
KAI AKSIOLOGOS HN H 'KOINH' PROFORA
and the Koine pronunciation was important
HN EDEXONTO WS ELLHNIKHN
which they were accepting as 'Greek'.
DIDASKALOS TIS EIPEN HMIN
a teacher told us
OTI OYK EXOYSIN YPOMONHN
that they do not have patience
AKOYEIN THN ERΑSMIKHN PROFORAN
to be hearing the Erasmian pronunciation.

EMAQON POLLA.
we learned a lot.
OY PROTIQHMI OTI ΔΕΙ HMIN PASIN
I am not proposing that we all need
ELQEIN EIS ELLADA
to come to Greece
INA LALWMEN THN ARXAIAN GLWSSAN
in order to speak the old language
KAI OY PROTIQHMI TO MAQEIN THN ARXAIAN GLWSSAN
and I am not proposing that one learns the old language
DIA TO EPISKEPTESQAI WDE
for visiting here.
(KAI MH PEIRASQE TOYTO EN AQHNAIS
and don't be trying this in Athens
EYRHSETE PLEIONA YPOMONHN EN TAIS NHSOIS
you will find more patience in the islands.)

WFELIMOS HMIN H XRHSIS PANTAXOY
use (of the language) is a good thing for us everywhere
INA LYSITELESH TH ANAGNWSEI.
in order that it may have a good effect for reading.
H ODOS ESTIN MAKRA
the way is long
KAI NIKHSOMEN DIA THS YPOMONHS KAI QARSEWS
and we will overcome thru patience and courage.

ERRWSQE
IWANHS
be well
Randall Buth

-- 
Randall Buth, PhD
www.biblicalulpan.org
randallbuth at gmail.com
Biblical Language Center
Learn Easily - Progress Further - Remember for Life


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