Re: Syntax Grammars

From: Steven Craig Miller (scmiller@www.plantnet.com)
Date: Wed Dec 08 1999 - 08:14:42 EST


<x-flowed>To: Carlton Winbery,

<< Brooks and Winbery, as well as Dana & Mantey, are beginner syntax books. >>

One person wants to insist that they teach "advanced Greek syntax" and now
you want to insist that they are "beginner syntax books." IMO a more
descriptive label would be "intermediate." Perhaps it is not a perfect
term, but nonetheless it is MORE descriptive. Even if you meant for your
intermediate grammar to be used during the first year, to call it a
"beginner syntax" is bound to only create confusion.

<< My favorite advanced book on Syntax is still the second volume of Funk,
Hellenistic Greek Grammar. >>

Which Funk called "A Beginning-Intermediate Grammar of Hellenistic Greek."
The assumption that everything must be one of two extremes is simply a
bipolar fallacy. Surely it is possible to come up with more descriptive
labels than just using the two terms "beginner" and "advanced," yes? Having
just three categories is bad enough (e.g., is Wallace's grammar
intermediate or advanced?), but to then reduce things down to just two
categories ("beginner" or "advanced") seems a little too much.

Besides, I like the term "intermediate"! <g>

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller@www.plantnet.com
Disclaimer: "I'm just a simple house-husband (with no post-grad degree),
what do I know?"

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