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Pensive Third Grade Girl
  • Education
  • Formation
  • Language
Elizabeth Cogburn

“Ancient Greek is a dead language, and we’re not dead! When are we going to use this?”* 

When are we going to use this?

Now.  

We’re going to use Greek now to wonder together about the mysterious force of language. Here once again the words of prophets, kings, and sages shall resound. The poetic force that once moved Homer shall move you. Call not the ancient tongues dead; they live on in you.  

Now and maybe later.  

If, some day, your baby cries with colic, I hope you remember our silly sheep song lullaby. When I am 90 and you are 70, I hope we can read Thucydides and have a cup of tea.  

And most of all, when you get turned around and lost, I hope you drag yourself to church. Hear the chanting. Pray the ancient prayers with understanding. If nothing else, may the words "Kyrie Eleison" ("Lord have mercy")  be drilled deeply in your soul.  

Could we study other things? Of course! But this is the gift I have for you. Others can give you Arabic, Ciabatta, Japanese, Korean, Russian, French, Hebrew, Spanish and more. Seek those good gifts and teachers, too! But please, let me give this gift of Greek to you.  

As your teacher, I make you a promise: I will not leave you behind. If the alphabet is hard, we’ll make a plan to help get you up to speed. If you find yourself despairing, we’ll take a moment and breathe. This is a gift and not a burden.  

That said, like a Christmas present from IKEA, Greek comes with “some assembly required.” We must march through the steps to learn. 

The first step is to listen. I am going to sing prayers to you and read to you. Set aside your wandering thoughts and focus on what I say to you. I promise to assist you in understanding. I will show you and tell you what words mean. Sometimes we’ll dip our toes into grammar to tease out shades of meaning.  

The next step is to wonder. This is my favorite step. My second graders ask great questions like, “Why, of all the languages, did Greek make so many things end in ‘os’?” or “What was Jesus’ first word? Was it in Greek or something else?” or “How come English only has one way to talk about the past?” or “What’s the funniest Greek word, and why is it ‘καμηλοπάρδαλις’? Did Jesus ever say ‘καμηλοπάρδαλις’?”**

And lastly, imitate. Translate, compose, and write the way ancient schoolchildren once did. Memorize and recite Aesop’s stories. Sing and read through the church year with me. Imitate the German grammarians and track their attempts to map this wily ancient language.  

Listen, wonder, imitate: do these three things and Greek is yours for life.  

So when are we going to use this? Now, later, and for life.  

 

*Asked as a way to avoid work, score social points, or to kill time, this is a pernicious question. But such monstrously motivated questioners are usually dissuaded with a bright and cheery, “Why I’d love to discuss that at break! I’ll be at the picnic tables.” 

** "καμηλοπάρδαλις" (cam-eel-low-PAR-thal-ees) is Greek for "giraffe", but most literally translated it means "camel-leopard-spotted."