The Greek described in this FSI Basic Greek Course (volume 3 of 3) is representative of the kathomilumeni variety, i.e. that of the 'standard! speech of educated Greeks.
It contains instruction on Useful Words and 'Polite Expressions must be drilled by the instructor and memorized by the student in the same way as the Basic Dialogues.
It also has sections on narrative. The narrative presents in expository Style either a situation similar to that represented in the Basic Dialogue, or a situation related to it, with broader vocabulary. The instructor goes through the sentences illustrating new vocabulary items in the same way as for Basic Dialogue. After the students have thus familiarized themselves with the new vocabulary, the instructor reads through the whole narrative at a normal speed. The students listen with their books closed. The students summarize In English as such as they understand of the narrative. Then the students read and translate the narrative into English. The instructor then asks the questions of Response Drill OBI and the students answer them. The narratives are intended to be memorized at home and retold in the student's own words in class the next day. The narratives in Units 2 through 5 are presented both in transcription and In the Greek writing system. In subsequent narratives the transcription is omitted.
The Sample Drills are to be treated in the same way as the sentences of Basic Dialogues and the Substitution, Transformation and Correlation-Substitution Drills are to be used in accordance with the instructions given at the beginning of each drill. Response Exercises occur at the very end of each unit. The questions of these exercises are not necessarily related to any particular unit. Gradually, as the student's vocabulary increases, these questions become of on general character. The purpose of a Response Exercise is to induce the student into free conversation within the scope of his vocabulary. In Units 2, 3, and 4 all possible answers to the questions are given. All these answers should be drilled In the same way as the sentences of the Basic Dialogues. Beginning with Unit 5 these exercises consist of questions only, and the student is supposed to be able to answer the questions by himself. Any answer given by the student is considered correct if it is appropriate and is good Greek. The answer is corrected by the instructor if necessary. The student repeats the corrected answer.
It ends with topics for Discussion These drills appear In the advanced units in lieu of Response drills. The instructor presents the topics one by one and asks the members of the class to take part in the discussion. One of the students is asked to develop the topic further and give his reasons for agreeing with the problem raised by the instructor. Another student should present his arguments to defend the opposite point of view. Another one should try to find a compromise between the two positions. Then other students join in the discussion. When one topic has been fully discussed the instructor raises the next controversial question. The exercise goes on until all topics of the unit have been thoroughly discussed and totally exhausted.
You can find the other volumes of the
FSI Greek Basic Course here:
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FSI Greek - Basic Course - Volume 1
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FSI Greek - Basic Course - Volume 2
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, native to the southern Balkans, the Aegean Islands, western Asia Minor, southern Italy and Cyprus. It has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history; other systems, such as Linear B and the Cypriot syllabary, were used previously. The alphabet arose from the Phoenician script and was in turn the basis of the Coptic, Cyrillic, Gothic, Latin and many other writing systems.
Greek is spoken in: Greece
Greek is also called: Ellinika, Graecae, Grec, Greco, Neo-Hellenic, Romaic
