[b-greek] re: Modern Greek, ...a new direction -Polycarp

From: Randall Buth (ButhFam@compuserve.com)
Date: Mon Dec 18 2000 - 18:25:22 EST


Message text written by INTERNET:Polycarp66@aol.com
>> c. point 'b' could lead to a KOINE GREEK list, where the main rule would
be
>> that communication would all be in Greek.
>> (maybe someone could give some direction from esperanto experience? or
>> modern latin use?)
>> Such a list would need a host site (I have nothing to offer personally),

>> technical backup (nothing to offer), and
>> moderators who would be willing to invest considerable time with answers
or
>> with finding a balance on self-corrective discussions about koine
>> vocabulary/syntax in exchanges (nothing to offer. I would join, follow
and
>> interact with such a list but cannot see beyond time constraints for
>> another year.)
>>
>>

>What you are proposing here seems to be a group where the discussion is
>WRITTEN . Communication by writing in Greek would have no effect upon or
>result from one's pronunciation of the text.
>

Mostly correct as far as you go. The first effect is that they will start
to experience a different dimension of language competency and use.
(minor distinctives would be in feeling what was rhyming, or a homonym,
alliterative or assonance in what one was writing or reading. this also has
some historical value when evaluating clarity of an expression, thinking of
how it would sound, if it was clear or only a written distinction, like
some indicatives and subjunctives.)

My additional premises are
a. that when a person develops initial functional levels of fluency they
will not want to sound so non-Greek or so foreign as to still almost
advertise non-fluency. If they look ahead and don't want to end up like
that, then they might want to incorporate a Koine phonology as they expand
the new dimension of language use.
b. As a corollary, a year of such written language use could even lead to
Greek weekends or Greek summers. People from different mothertongues would
also appreciate an effort of all participants to take at least a step or
two toward a neutral Koine. (modern Greek speakers would have the easiest
time, simply adding [U] and splitting [E] into [HTA] and [E].)
c. A further corollary is that using a language like Koine Greek will
eventually require interaction with live texts. At some point people on the
list will be quoting and reading common papyri. Free quotation, imitation,
and discussion of such texts just naturally pulls away from either
'erasmus' or 'allen-daitz'. It really helps to use a basic Koine phonology
when reading them.

And the main point is that a writing e-group will encourage and develop a
different dimension of language knowledge.
TAS FWNAS DE KAI TAS FQOGGAS SUMFEREI DIALOGIZESQAI KAI DIALEGESQAI EN THI
ELLHNIKHI
So a group can get started and then people can discuss what they're
'hearing'.


ERRWSQE

Randall Buth
Chair, Hebrew Language
Jerusalem University College
Buth@jerusalemschool.org

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