Description

Τέχνη γραμματική ἐστιν γνῶσις διωρθωμένης ὁμιλίας ἐν τῷ λέγειν 
καὶ ἐν τῷ γράφειν ποιημάτων τε καὶ ἀναγνώσεως ἔμπειρος διδασκαλία. 
γραμματικός ἐστιν ὃς ἑνὸς ἑκάστου πράγματος τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τὴν 
κυριότητα δύναται σαφηνίσαι τῇ λαλιᾷ. τῆς τέχνης τῆς γραμματικῆς 
ἡ τάξις συνέστηκεν μέρεσιν τέτρασιν, ἀναγνώσει διορθώσει ἐξηγήσει κρίσει. 

(Dosithei Ars grammatica)

In this seminar we are going to explore the different ways the Greeks understood and described their language. We will read and discuss relevant passages from various grammarians and philosophers of the classical and hellenistic period – Dionysius Thrax, Plato, Aristotle, Diogenes Laërtius and various surviving fragments of epicurean and stoic teaching.

Original texts will be read and discussed in Ancient Greek – participants are therefore expected to be able to follow the written text.  No previous experience with the active use of Ancient Greek is, however, required – anybody is welcome to join us to practise listening comprehension and gain more confidence in speaking gradually. 

Further reading:
Koerner, E.F.K., Asher, R.E., 1995. Concise history of the Language Sciences. Cambridge: CUP.
Swiggers, P. & Wouters, A. 1996. (eds.), Ancient Grammar: Content and Context, Leuven – Paris, Peeters.
Law, V.; Sluiter, I. (eds.), 1998. Dionysius Thrax and the Techne grammatike, 2., durchges. u. überarb. Auflage. Münster, Nodus Publikationen.
Schenkveld, D.M. 1994. Scholarship and Grammar, in: Entretiens XL, 263-301. 
Schmidhauser, A.U., 2010. The Birth of Grammar in Greece. In: E.J. Bakker (ed.), A Companion to Greek Language. Wiley Blackwell, 499-523.
Pfeiffer, R. 1968. History of Classical Scholarship from the Beginnings to the End of the Hellenistic Age. Oxford, Clarendon Press.
Sandy, J., 1958. A History of Classical Scholarship, vol. 1., New York, Hafner.  
Steinthal, H.,1890 a 1891. Geschichte der Sprachwissenschaft bei den Griechen und Römern mit besonderer Rücksicht auf die Logik. Berlin. (2 vol.).

For Whom Is this Course?

• • intermediate to advanced students

Prerequisites

• • good knowledge of Ancient Greek
  • prior experience speaking the language is welcome but not required

Language of Instruction

• • Ancient Greek

Time & Date

• • • every Friday,
      19:00-20:30 Central European Time (Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm, Warsaw etc.)
      May 16-July 18, 2025

Teacher

Karolina Doušová Karolina teaches Latin and Ancient Greek as living languages in Prague (at Charles University and at “Gymnázium Jaroslava Seiferta”). She has taught various spoken Latin and Greek classes, in person as well as online, e.g. Caelum and Οὐρανός for Cultura Clásica in Madrid, Spain.

Registration

To register, please put the class into your digital shopping card and proceed to checkout. Alternatively, you can also send us an email: info@argos-didaskei.com

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