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Classical Language and Texts: Greek I and II

Module description

‘Greek I and II’ – commonly known as ‘Fast Track Greek’ –  is an intensive 60-credit module that brings its successful students to Level 2 or A-level reading ability in Ancient Greek in a single year. The module is particularly appropriate for launching students arriving in Exeter with A-Level Latin but little or no experience of Greek onto the full traditional Classics degree, but all are welcome. There are no pre- or co-requisites, though some experience of successful language learning is helpful. The first semester is devoted to linguistic exercises, the second chiefly to the reading of Classical Greek texts in the original, typically Xenophon, Homer, Herodotus, Euripides and Plato.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Through an intensive programme of language classes and guided independent study, you will acquire a solid grounding in the principles of Greek grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, so that you can read unadapted Greek texts with confidence; you will also have been introduced to a representative range of Greek texts, which you will be able to translate.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Recognise, explain and use for yourselves the main principles of Greek grammar
• 2. Demonstrate a good level of competency in the language by translating unadapted Greek from authors outside the set texts under exam conditions
• 3. Translate into Greek
• 4. Read and appreciate set texts in the original

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Achieve reasonable fluency in a variety of texts in a foreign non-spoken language

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Demonstrate confidence in the use of languages other than English.
• 7. Learn general rules and apply them independently to specific linguistic material
• 8. Learn grammar and vocabulary to improve memory skills

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

There will be five classes each week. In addition to this, you will be expected to invest a considerable amount of your own study-time in this course. During the first term, emphasis will be placed on the structured learning of language, grammar and vocabulary, with translation into and out of Greek. During the second term, the focus will be upon the consolidation of these skills, as well as the development of critical and interpretative skills through reading of passages of unadapted Greek.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

• L.A. Wilding, Greek for Beginners (Bristol Classical Press/Duckworth, 1973, reprinted)
• Abbott & Mansfield, Primer of Greek Grammar (Bristol Classical Press/Duckworth)
• J.A.C.T., A Greek Anthology (Cambridge, 2002)
• Horn, T. (ed.) The Fall of Athens. Selections from Xenophon's Hellenica. (London, 1962)
• North, M.A. and Hillard A.E., Greek Prose Composition for Schools (London, 1900. Reprints: Duckworth, 1978; Bristol Classical Press, 1987)
• Liddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: abridged version).

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=432

Key words search

Classics, Greek, Language