achers of Greek have (I very much believe) to be
wise and helpful in what we ask of them in relation to the use of that
time. So I put before you the view that to ask beginners to spend any time
at all on learning accents (apart from the twenty particular
otherwise-ambiguous forms where it matters) is to divert them from using
their available time to learn things (grammatical concepts, basic
paradigms) which are MUCH more use to them.
Those who advocate getting students to learn their accents correctly say
that this will facilitate correct pronunciation. At most, this would be
true in relation to knowing which vowel or syllable to stress. But even
this is dubious, because (as also pointed out in the discussion) the accent
was a tone-accent, not a stress-accent.
But even so, there is a valid point to be noted in something else which
>Perhaps the reason some claim that accents have little, or no real value,
>is because for them (and really, for most of us) ancient Greek is only a
>written language and not one to be spoken. What is the value of learning
>how to pronounce ancient Greek, if one is never going to speak it? (This is
>asked only as a "rhetorical" question.)
Actually, in my Grammar book I stress the importance of reading Greek with
the "correct" pronunciation, but this is "correct" from the perspective of
a phonemic pronunciation scheme (i.e., for the phonemes of koine Greek) and
NOT in relation to where an accent might fall on a word form.
So, as an alternative to the other points of view being advocated on the
b-greek list, I put this view:
1. ALWAYS observe, and use, breathings and iota subscript.
2. DO NOTE those twenty word forms where an accent differentiates between
forms which otherwise are ambiguous (in my Grammar book, these are
introduced when encountered, and a list of the sections is cross-referenced
in Section 8.85 on page 120).
3. Otherwise, IGNORE accents at beginners level.
For your consideration.
P.S. Steven also says,
>In order to pronounce ancient Greek, one needs to know more than where the
>accent falls, one also needs some idea as to how syllables are divided. And
>I would dare say, one would search in vain in most first-year grammars to
>find anything more than a very cursory suggestion on syllabification.
I also have a comment on syllabification in Section 1.46, on page 17 of my
Rev Dr B. Ward Powers Phone (International): 61-2-9799-7501
10 Grosvenor Crescent Phone (Australia): (02) 9799-7501
SUMMER HILL NSW 2130 email: firstname.lastname@example.org
AUSTRALIA. Director, Tyndale College
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