Koine Greek Geek

This blog is for those who are interested in Koine (Biblical) Greek, currently studying Koine Greek; as well as those who have questions about Koine Greek. Debates and commenting are encouraged, but inappropriate comments/replies will be deleted by the blog publisher. Readers are encouraged to check my book and website posts constantly for updates.

Name:

"Oyarsa" for those who don't know, is the name of an archangel (or "god" with a little 'g') in C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy. I liked the character, so I stole the name. Who am I? I am a library science student in Illinois who has a variety of interests--too many to list! I have worked in libraries for five years and counting.

Friday, November 04, 2005

Find Greek Books in a Library

A wonderful program called "WorldCat" has a tool whereby you can find out the location of any item in any library. If you know the ISBN (if it's a book) or the ISSN (if it's a magazine or journal title), you can find it easily by copying their base url and substituting the information in brackets with the actual information.

I took the liberty of locating multiple excellent Greek resources and listing them here. I will be adding more Greek books to this list, so check it often.

  • Analyctical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament


  • Essential for anyone who does not know every possible form of every possible Greek word by sight. Probably a better tool for advanced students, but beginners may find it useful as well.

  • Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar. 2nd Ed.


  • Standard Biblical Greek Grammar in some seminaries.

  • Basics of Biblical Greek Workbook. 2nd Ed.


  • Accompanying workbook.

  • Biblical Greek Exegesis


  • Highly practical approach to the study of intermediate and advanced Greek grammar; takes students right to the text!

  • Complete Vocabulary Guide to the Greek New Testament, The.


  • Gives words in listings for both frequency and cognate groups. While the frequency list is the obvious choice for order of memorization, the cognate section has been the real key to me for memory retention. It transforms the learning from sheer memorization to the fluent understanding of concepts.

    Graded Reader of Biblical Greek, A.

    Great tool for the transition from beginning Greek to more difficult Greek.

  • Greek for the Rest of Us: Mastering Biblical Study without Mastering Biblical Languages.


  • Excellent resource for the person who wants to learn Greek without the rigorous study demanded within a formal course.

  • Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: an exegetical syntax of the New Testament.


  • 2nd Year Companion to Basics of Biblical Greek, but can be used if a different grammar was substituted.

  • Greek New Testament (Aland).


  • One of the more popular Greek New Testaments.

  • Lexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek.


  • Great for review and vocabulary refreshers.

  • Morphology of Biblical Greek.


  • Excellent reference work for morphological studies; a must for the advanced student.

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    Koine Greek vs. Attic Greek: What's the Difference?

    What is Koine Greek? Koine Greek is the Greek dialect that was used to write the New Testament. The Apostle Paul and others wrote in Greek because people in the eastern half of the Roman Empire spoke Greek as a common language. So, they wrote in a language the people of that time and place could read (or hear) and understand.

    In contrast, Attic Greek is a Greek dialect spoken in Attica, a region of Ancient Greece. Athens. Most courses teaching classical Greek will teach the attic dialect. Examples of Attic Greek authors include Euripides and Sophocles.

    Koine Greek evolved from Attic Greek.

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    Welcome!

    This is the blog where I'll be posting my adventures in the exploration of Koine Greek. I took a year of Koine Greek in college, and I've been gradually moving through the 2nd year material on my own (though I do contact my greek mentors if I get stuck or unsure. (I would like to teach myself Attic Greek; we'll see how that goes...)

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