Asumi Oda
Hello, everyone.
This time I'd like to talk about ancient Greek.
Have you ever learned Geek before?
Since I'm majoring in philosophy, and I'm especially interested in Greek philosophy, I'm studying ancient Greek. I really love ancient Greek, however, it's very difficult. For example, each verb usually conjugates in 156 ways! In English, for example, a verb EAT conjugates like EAT-ATE-ATE and it's only 3 ways. In my Greek class, we are using a text book and now we are close to the end!
From next year, we'll be reading some of the original texts of Plato or Aristotle, and others.
I'm sure it'll be extremely difficult, but it's worth trying and I think there're lots of things we can lean from the original ones, not from the translation.
I'd like to show you the picture of my text book, grammar book, and ancient Greek-English dictionary that I'm using.
The biggest dark blue one is the dictionary. The height is about 30 cm, and 10 cm in thickness.
It's too heavy to carry around so I can never bring it to school. Even in my house, I have to be really careful not to drop it on my feet.
The second thickest maroon colored one is the grammar book. It's written in English, but not so difficult to understand and it's always very useful. It has a lot of information and always help me when I need any help.
The smallest green one is the text book we're using in class. It's written in Japanese.
I really wanted to tell you some ancient Greek words, but I couldn't type it.
And instead, I found an online ancient Greek-English dictionary so I will put a link here.
You can see the Greek letters and you can look for some words you like.
I think most of the Greek letters are quite familiar to you. What's funny to me is that I often find Greek letters used in 顔文字. Ever since I started to learn Greek, I can't see 顔文字 as a face but just the letters.
Well, starting from next week, two of my friends and I will read "Politeia" (in Latin, Res Publica ), which is one of the most famous works of Plato and is written in ancient Greek, and we'll do some discussion based on this text with a graduate student majoring in Greek philosophy. I have to be well prepared and I want to finish reading its Japanese translation by then. I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun!!
I think it's very important to read the original texts. There are many translations in the book store and I read them, but now that I can try to read it in the original language, I think there're more that I can learn from it. It's always exciting to learn a new language, and for me, it seems like ancient Greek is one of the most difficult but interesting language.
Hello, everyone.
This time I'd like to talk about ancient Greek.
Have you ever learned Geek before?
Since I'm majoring in philosophy, and I'm especially interested in Greek philosophy, I'm studying ancient Greek. I really love ancient Greek, however, it's very difficult. For example, each verb usually conjugates in 156 ways! In English, for example, a verb EAT conjugates like EAT-ATE-ATE and it's only 3 ways. In my Greek class, we are using a text book and now we are close to the end!
From next year, we'll be reading some of the original texts of Plato or Aristotle, and others.
I'm sure it'll be extremely difficult, but it's worth trying and I think there're lots of things we can lean from the original ones, not from the translation.
I'd like to show you the picture of my text book, grammar book, and ancient Greek-English dictionary that I'm using.
It's too heavy to carry around so I can never bring it to school. Even in my house, I have to be really careful not to drop it on my feet.
The second thickest maroon colored one is the grammar book. It's written in English, but not so difficult to understand and it's always very useful. It has a lot of information and always help me when I need any help.
The smallest green one is the text book we're using in class. It's written in Japanese.
I really wanted to tell you some ancient Greek words, but I couldn't type it.
And instead, I found an online ancient Greek-English dictionary so I will put a link here.
You can see the Greek letters and you can look for some words you like.
I think most of the Greek letters are quite familiar to you. What's funny to me is that I often find Greek letters used in 顔文字. Ever since I started to learn Greek, I can't see 顔文字 as a face but just the letters.
Well, starting from next week, two of my friends and I will read "Politeia" (in Latin, Res Publica ), which is one of the most famous works of Plato and is written in ancient Greek, and we'll do some discussion based on this text with a graduate student majoring in Greek philosophy. I have to be well prepared and I want to finish reading its Japanese translation by then. I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun!!
I think it's very important to read the original texts. There are many translations in the book store and I read them, but now that I can try to read it in the original language, I think there're more that I can learn from it. It's always exciting to learn a new language, and for me, it seems like ancient Greek is one of the most difficult but interesting language.
I really admire your ambition to read such difficult works in such a difficult language. I tried to find out how to say "hello" in Greek using the dictionary link you gave us but it came up as "no results." Please tell me how to say hello in Greek using your huge dictionary!
ReplyDeleteI studied French in high school and university and read some literature in French. As you say, it is interesting and also more fun than reading in translation. I get frustrated reading Japanese books in English translation because the translations are so bad! So I want to learn to read Japanese better so I can read novels in their original language.
Ms. MacGregor
To Asumi
ReplyDeleteHello Asumi.
This is Kazu.
How thick they are! I am really surprised that the Gakushuin philosophy major students use such specialized books. What you study seems to be much more complicated than I have expected.
I'm interested in 顔文字 used Greek letters.
Could you show me some examples?
I cannot recognize which is a Greek letter or just a symbol.
I will do my best in my studying like you!
Hello Asumi!
ReplyDeleteI am also very impressed by your motivation to learn Greek,it must be quite difficult from a japanese native,but being the motivated student that you are,i am sure you will succeed in your studies .
I also have an interest in philosophy,and am quite curious about how his dialogues are translated in japanese.
If you have time,it would be great to discuss topics such as "freedom" or in the case of Plato's "Republica",the relationship between Justice and the citizens.:)