Update: I've now created my own Greek Grammar. Find out why at ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XRB2XJedfDI.html, and check out progress on it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PQlm-FHAZ9Y.html and here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qxHJKO7YdQQ.html
Dana Harris' Greek Grammar is my number one choice for learning to read, exegete and understand Greek Grammar. A good complementary book to read is written by Constantine Campbell: "Basics of Verbal Aspect in Biblical Greek" Both of these books are helpful in learning both Semantic Verbal Aspect and Pragmatic Aktionsart values based upon lexeme interactions and overriding context.
As for a beginner's NT greek grammar, I prefer Jeremy Duff's Elements of New Testament Greek, which is a rewriting of Wenham's method with the same name. At his turn Wenham had re-written and improved Nunn's elements of New Testament Greek. Duffel re-improved Wenahm's not only in the layout which is completely modernized, colorised, with special signs for items that are important, but also has brought - at a beginner's level - some elements of Aspect and time, which I see that you are found of. However, Duff is not too precise on it, as we are talking about a beginner's grammar. I personnally think that time and aspect should not be touched too much at that level as the matter is still under fervent discussion in linguistics circles and honeslty, very few grammars are able to really explain what Verbal Aspect is. As the discussion is still an ongoing battle, I don't think that Verbal Aspect and Time should be a criteria to chose a "best" Greek Grammar. At that leve, you need a grammar that helps you read, understand and translate N.T. Greek. As for intermediary grammars, believe me or not, I still prefer Dana and Mantey's Greek Grammar. I know it is old, I also know that some of the examples are not the best ones, and of course, they slightly touch Verbal Aspect and time, yet, in spite of these two elements, it is still one of the most Greek passionate grammar. The notes and the side notes of this grammar brings you to love Greek more than any other Grammar. Grammar beyond basics from Wallace is of course very good and might be the new textbook for the next two generations, yet the abreviated version is far better than the big big big version, mainly because the big version covers too many exegetical issues - Wallace spends a lot of times on telling you what some bible verses really mean; but this is should not be the goal of a Greek Grammar. It should not tell you what you should understand,but it should give you the tools to understand a text. However, Wallace spends too much time telling you how you should read a text, making his exegesis a Bible Authority - and this is biaised. Wallace is an amazing scholar, but his exegesis of a text should not be mine... Everyone should do his own exegesis and come to his own decisions. That is why the abriged version is better because it almost has 200 pages less - most of these are exegetical examples. For Advanced Grammar I would still go back to Blass and Debrunner's Greek Grammar of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, for it's size, followed by Robertson's Grammar of the greek NT in the light of historical research. I also think that Heinrich von Siebenthal's Ancient Greek Grammar for the Study of the New Testament will probably soon be the best intermediate/advanced grammar for serious Greek N.T. studies. It is thourough, it goes to the essential, and it does not tell you what the text says, but prepares you with the Greek tools to understand the text (in this way, Siebenthal is way better than Wallace's GGBB).
I enjoyed this video. It is amazing the number of available grammars. My number one is Mounce. Recently completed first year Greek. I like the fact that the verbs are taught later. I agree that BBG does have advanced information that is challenging, but overall, I enjoyed the work. Glad that Mounce made your top four!
This was a very detailed and indepth analysis of NTG learning resources for especially self-study, exactly what I needed at this time. Thank you very much and may the good Lord bless you immensely for the amazing work.
Self taught initially with Dobson: This was fairly successful. Found Dobson more useful than Summers. Tried again a few years lager with Mounce, Merkel/Plummer and Decker. After about 4 chapters in each, I am finding Merkel/Plummer the best. Really like the extra video material also.
This is an awesome video.. I took Greek 20 years ago in Seminary. Currently I am dusting off my grammar... this video really helped me select some proper grammars
Thank you very much for the informative video. FYI - THERE IS AN ANSWER KEY in David Alan Black's book, at least in the third edition which I have. The answer key is for lessons 3-17, and the exercises in the later chapters are from the NT and references are given. A positive of this book which some may find interesting: I live in Israel and am beginning to teach NT Greek in (modern) Hebrew, using Black as a textbook. Because I teach in a non-Eglish language enviroment Black's no frills or fluff, essentials only approach is really conveinient for translation, while still being in depth enough to be sufficiently academic. Additionally, Dr. Black has served for many years as a missionary in Ethiopia (if I remember correctly), and taught greek there as well. I believe that there is something of the essentialism and pragmatics of the mission-field built into the DNA of his grammer - even though it is a bit dated. Anyway - if someone is looking for a self contained grammer to teach from in a non-English enviroment - you might consider Black's.
One correction: John Schwandt's book does have an answer key. (Perhaps the earlier digital-only edition did not.) I am working through his book right now and am enjoying it. I took his online course a few years ago. In college in the mid-'70s, I used The Language of the New Testament by Eugene van Ness Goetchius, which I really liked, although I don't believe it is still available. I especially liked how he explained a concept of English grammar (e.g., passive voice), and then showed how that worked in Greek.
A very helpful video for new students to choose their grammar. I have learned through Mounce and am going through Plummer and Merkle. I have Black and Campbells but haven’t read much of them. I’m a details person so for me I love Mounce and from what I’ve read find his method most sensible and easy to learn. The way he emphasises true endings in nouns and keeps the vowel on the end of the stem makes declension paradigms so much easier to remember. Those grammars including the vowel in the ending cause unnecessary complication. He similarly breaks up verbs by separating the connecting vowel from the endings. Merkle and Plummer give the combined endings for nouns and verbs but try to give Mounce’s alternative method for reference but with too little explanation making the whole attempt confusing. I’m enjoying working through Beginning Greek as a review though. For me I want to know the reasons why the words behave as they do and so do not agree with the often heard criticism that Mounce is too detailed. From what I have I’d put Mounce 1st, M&P 2nd, Black 3rd and Campbell 4th. Thanks again.
When I studied Mounce (alone, not in a class), I kept wanting more detail. We’re all different, so more varieties of grammars and teachers are great, and will enable more people to learn.
This video was helpful. Could you review some classical Greek grammars such as Athenaze, An Introduction to Ancient Greek by Luschnig, or From Alpha to Omega: A Beginning Course in Classical Greek by Groton?
Might try to get into NT Greek again after only a beginner's course many, many years ago. I have on my "shelf" old texts and wonder if you or anyone have comments on them. They are: J.W. Wenham's "The Elements of New Testament Greek"; John Dobson's "Learn New Testament Greek"; and Gavin Betts' "Teach Yourself New Testament Greek." From that beginner's course, I still have an old edition of William Mounce's "Basics of Biblical Greek," which I'd prefer to use as a secondary reference - had trouble working with it. Somewhere I still have a copy of Croy's work, which you put at number seven on your list. I totally agree that his explanations are clear and I may just go with his "A Primer of Biblical Greek." Any feedback offered is welcome.
I am working through John Swant's grammar right now I was working through David Allem Blocks grammar with the work book but I think I will just finish John's book then work through plummers book next after I finish the logos mobile ed greek 101 course
Best currently published grammars for a beginner are 1. Porter, 2. Merkle/Plummer, 3. Harris. Best grammar for beginner to learn to read NT Greek is Ward Powers, FIFTH Ed. Learn to Read the Greek NT with workbook (dated on a few issues). If without Powers, then Gerald Stevens 1997 2d Univ Press Ed., NT Greek. Then to guarantee syntax/grammar issue recognition while reading the NT Greek: Plummer’s “Going Deeper” followed by Stanley Porter’s Idioms book, Wallace’s Greek Gramm Beyond the Basics, and then Robert Funk’s 2013, Third Edition Beginning Intermediate Gram. of Hellenistic Greek. There are other grammars to recommend if doing research on history of academic controversies or research on specific language issues.
@@bma Porter’s Fundamentals also has a workbook. If you are able to look at Ward Powers’ book, he also has a workbook and answer key for the Fifth edition. Although Powers links time to the indicative, his explanation of aspect and conjugations with morphology is very good for a beginner. Powers may have too much info for some, it serves as a reference grammar. I have found that participles and prepositions in Powers need to be supplemented with Decker/participles and Murray Harris/Prepositions, and both S. Porter’s Idioms for prepositions and Silvia Luraghi’s On the Meaning of Prepositions for prepositions-theory.
Thanks for your videos they help me a lot. Could you review for me “Grammatical Concepts 101 for Biblical Greek: Learning Biblical Greek Grammatical Concepts through English Grammar.”
I'm gonna finish Black's grammar. Should I go throught another beginner greek or should I begin an intermediate one? Which grammar would you recommend in either way?
Hey Darryll! Would you recommend getting physical copies or electronic copies of these? I prefer physical copies however I know that Logos may be a better long term decision. I am thinking of purchasing Dana, Merkle/Plummer, Decker, Mounce. Initially I was planning to get all physical copies. However, I can only afford physical or electronic, not both. Which textbooks would you recommend I get on Logos and which should I get physical copy of? My current thoughts are: Physical: Decker, Dana Logos: Merkle/Plummer (on preorder), Mounce Any advice you could give is much appreciated!
I typically try to get mine in digital form for a variety of reasons. Certainly volumes you’ll use as a reference are probably better in Logos rather than having to house them physically for infrequent reference. So I think your idea of having one or two physical and the rest digital is good. Unless you’re going to be using the workbook, I’d probably be inclined to get Dana Harris’s grammar on Logos. Which do you think you’ll use for your main grammar? That one is the one you probably want a physical copy of.
This is really all relative to the teacher and student. I started out with Summers and did just fine once I went on the the next level. Summers for what it was meant to be is not outdated. When does basic grammar become outdated? An aorist tense of a verb is an aorist tense no matter what era. Also the deponent in voice is his own personal opinion and not shared by most Greek scholars and teachers. Again relative to his own views and ideas. Nothing said here was really helpful from my perspective. Beside why spend money on these books when you can learn Greek on the net for free? In the end what a mans doctrine is tells us more about the value of his knowledge of Greek than the sources used to instruct him?
@Master New Testament Greek Question: You said that Decker's grammar was good for intermediate & advanced too. I'm intermediate, so would you recommend this even if I'm already using Mathewson & Emig? I'm also planning to buy Heinrich von Siebenthal's "Ancient Greek Grammar for the Study of the New Testament" later, as a reference grammar. So would Decker's add anything specially beyond those two?
Perhaps not as such, but if you're looking for something with a more pedagogical focus or elementary discussion, then Decker would be a good supplement. He intended his grammar to be used for first year, and then as a reference in the second year, not as a primary second year grammar.
Darryl, if I already own Decker's grammar (which is definitely my number one ATM), would you recommend picking up Dana Harris's as well? Or would that be an unnecessary redundancy?
The glossary will work in most cases, but having a lexicon will be helpful. I would start with something inexpensive (such as Abbot-Smith) and get BDAG when you have the money and greater need.
Talk about dumbing down a whole culture! In graduate school, we cannot teach a foreign language without teaching Elementary English grammar first! It wasn't all that many years ago that it would be assumed Seminary students would already know a lot of Greek and Latin (let alone English grammar), because they'd have learned them in Grammar school. "Beginning" seminary level Greek students were equivalent to today's intermediate or advanced...
Yes, it is a sad reflection of the broader educational environment. We could go further and argue that Latin and/or Greek might be helpful in school too - but I don't think we'd win that argument. Still, it would be nice to at least know how our own language works.
It's a lot easier to learn Greek for a twelve-year-old than in one's twenties & up. Some schools have returned to teaching classic languages at about age twelve. Personally, I believe church schools should teach biblical Greek to all youngsters. I agree with Martin Luther, who wrote that if a pastor is not well-versed in the original languages he cannot effectively test his own views, nor refute false doctrine.
@Master New Testament Greek Luther also warned that if the pastors did not know the original languages well, the church would soon loose the gospel and plunge back into error! So I believe strongly in your mission Dr. Burling - keep up the good work!
Hit reply to one of the emails and let me know. I can't find you in my system without knowing your email address. You should be able to hit the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email and then click unsubscribe from all.
Self taught initially with Dobson: This was fairly successful. Found Dobson more useful than Summers. Tried again a few years lager with Mounce, Merkel/Plummer and Decker. After about 4 chapters in each, I am finding Merkel/Plummer the best. Really like the extra video material also.
