Modern Greek for Classicists

Book excerpt: Ilias Kolokouris's Modern Greek for Classicists is a reading companion for those who have already had some exposure to the Greek world - be it a solid foundation in Ancient Greek, some knowledge of the Greek alphabet acquired while studying Latin, or even just a few set phrases memorized to communicate with locals during a trip to Greece. This book aims to build upon such foundations to expand access to the fascinating culture, literature, and society of Modern Greece. Modern Greek for Classicists is structured as a graded reader, with fictional narratives in Modern Greek, followed by comprehension and discussion questions designed to facilitate language acquisition. Each dialogue has a limited set of vocabulary, and the grammar moves from the more simple to the more complex. Animated videos accompany and expand upon the main story. How does this book teach Modern Greek? Incremental repetition and progressively more complex readings play a key role in our pedagogical approach. We believe that, when highly motivated learners are given confidence in their abilities and an environment with low levels of anxiety, they will be better equipped for success in second language acquisition. This is why we want each lesson to be a playful, enjoyable activity. Most importantly, this book is designed to feel yours. You can read it at your own pace, whenever and wherever you prefer, with whomever you wish. As you go on to use this book, you will notice that learning Modern Greek is both feasible and inspiring.