Ancient Greek Grammar - Indirect Speech
How the Greeks managed to say "I have discovered that fizzy drinks are bad for my teeth"
Ancient Greek Grammar - Indirect Speech free download
How the Greeks managed to say "I have discovered that fizzy drinks are bad for my teeth"
The term "Indirect Statement" may sound technical, but it's actually a structure that native English speakers have been using for generations. Consider phrases like, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," "I am told that two and two make four," or "I have discovered that fizzy drinks are bad for my teeth." These sentences all share a common pattern. They consist of two parts: first, a verb expressing reporting, belief, or perception (e.g., "I know"), and second, a statement of supposed fact (e.g., "my Redeemer liveth"). These two parts are connected by the subordinating conjunction "that," which shows how the second part follows logically from the first.
Interestingly, the Greek language employs the same construction as English. For instance, in Greek, you might say, "ὁ Σωκράτης λέγει ὅτι ὁ γέρων σοϕώτατός ἐστιν," which follows the same pattern. Moreover, Greek offers two other constructions that are used in English but less frequently. These are the accusative and infinitive construction, as seen in the famous phrase "We hold these truths to be self-evident," and the participle construction, such as "I see myself as being the most handsome teacher in England."
This concise yet informative course commences by elucidating the grammatical structure using English examples. Subsequently, it delves into a comprehensive explanation of how this grammatical structure operates in Greek, offering numerous examples and exercises to solidify your understanding.
