This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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Elements of Greek

Code: 104195 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Ancient Studies FB 1
English and Classics Studies FB 1

Contact

Name:
Laura Lucas González
Email:
laura.lucas@uab.cat

Teachers

Joan Pages Cebrian
(External) Laura Lucas González

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

The group will be split into two different levels: beginners (with no previous knowledge of the classical Greek language) and advanced level (with previous knowledge of the classical Greek language). At the beginning of the course, students will be distributed in one of the two groups depending on the level of knowledge of the Greek language they have.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The goals of this course are:


1. Knowledge of a basic lexicon of Classical Greek (about 500 words). 2.
Knowledge of basic grammar structures (see Contents)

3. Basic knowledge of topics related to the read texts.

4. Adequate knowledge of the Odyssey of Homer.

Competences

    Ancient Studies
  • Apply grammatical knowledge acquired in the analysis and comprehension of Latin and Greek texts.
  • Be able to express oneself orally and in writing in the specific language of history, archaeology and philology, both in one's own languages and a third language.
  • Interpret texts written in Latin and Greek to understand the history and Classical civilisations.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
    English and Classics Studies
  • Demonstrate grammatical knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages and its application to the analysis and comprehension of Greek and Latin texts.
  • Interpret written texts in Latin and Greek to learn about classical history and civilizations.
  • Produce effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in distinct languages.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse the morpho-syntactic components of a Greek and Latin text, identifying those that are internal to the narrative genre.
  2. Apply the techniques that help towards a rapid overall understanding of Greek and Latin texts.
  3. Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
  4. Explain the gist of a text without any need for a prior morpho-syntactic analysis or the use of a dictionary.
  5. Extract information from the Greek and Latin texts on aspects of realia especially related to their historical and cultural context.
  6. Preparing an oral and written discourse in the corresponding language in a proper and organized way.
  7. Translate fragments of the Greek works proposed.
  8. Translate fragments of the proposed Greek works.
  9. Write a morpho-syntactic commentary on a Greek text.

Content

The contents of this subject include, on the one hand, the description of the grammatical forms and basic syntactic structures of classical Attic Greek, and, on the other, exercises of translating and interpretation of original Greek texts.

Contents:  

1. The Greek alphabet: reading and writing

2. Morphology:

2.1. Nominal Morphology. Generalities

2.1.1. The Article

2.1.2. First-Declension Nouns (–α)

2.1.3. Second-Declension Nouns (–ο)

2.1.4. Third-Declension Nouns: Consonantic Stems; Vocal Stems

2.1.5. Irregular Nouns

2.1.6. Personal Pronouns

2.1.7. Relative Pronouns

2.1.8. Demonstrative Pronouns

2.2. Verbal morphology Generalities

2.2.1. The Present. Present of Indicative: Thematic Non-Contract and Contract Present (-ω), and Athematic Present (-μι). Present Infinitive. Present Participle. The Imperfect

2.2.2. The Aorist (I) : Sigmatic Aorist. Aorist Infinitive. Aorist Participle

2.3. Adverbs

2.4. Prepositions

 

3. Syntax:

3.1. Syntax of Cases

3.2. Simple Sentences and Complex Sentences

3.3. Co-ordination

3.4. Subordination

3.4.1. Relative Clauses

3.4.2. Indirect Speech: clauses with ὅτι and ὡς

3.4.3. Temporal and Causal Clauses

3.5. The Participle

 

 

4. Lexicon and etymology:

The lexicon will be worked on the texts that will be read in class, based on practical exercises and comprehensive reading. Students will have to memorize the lexicon of the selection of texts that will be provided at the beginning of the course, progressively.

To help consolidate the lexicon, etymology will be worked on and exercises will be carried out on the origin and formation of Catalan words from Greek.

 

5. Literature:

The reading of The Odyssey by Homer, in Catalan or Spanish translation, will be compulsory and assessable.

 

N.B. Based on how quickly the group works, some of the items on this agenda may be dropped or expanded. The ones that aren't covered in this course will be covered in the Greek Narrative Texts course.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Explanation of the theoretical contents 12 0.48 2, 9, 5, 7
Grammar exercises 12 0.48 2, 9, 6
Reading, commentary and translation of texts 12 0.48 2, 9, 5, 7
Type: Supervised      
Commentary of The Odyssey 2 0.08 3, 6, 5
Reading and translating exercises 8 0.32 2, 9, 7
Solving grammar exercises 5 0.2 2, 3, 9, 7
Type: Autonomous      
Grammar and translation exercises 20 0.8 2, 9, 7
Grammar and Vocabulary Study 20 0.8 2, 3
Reading of the Odyssey in translation 8.5 0.34 2, 3

The teaching methodology of this subject will consist of alternating theoretical explanations of each of the grammatical contents that appear in the syllabus with the carrying out of practical exercises that help students retain grammatical concepts and apply them in the reading of basic level texts.

The classes will be divided into two groups by level: beginner level and advanced level. At the beginning of the course, students will be distributed in one of the two groups depending on their level of knowledge of the Greek language.

The subject will be distributed in sixteen weeks of learning activities. Each week students will have to dedicate ten hours to the subject, of which 3 hours. will be in class and 7 hours. of autonomous personal dedication. It is important that each student distributes the 7 weekly hours of autonomous personal dedication throughout the week and works regularly, independently and responsibly. In total, students must accredit 150 hours (6 credits) of dedication to the subject.

Students have access to personalized attention during professors' office hours.

At the beginning of the course, a dossier with a selection of introductory texts and exercises in the Greek language, taken from manuals included in the bibliography, will be uploaded to Moodle. Throughout the course, activities can be added or removed from Moodle depending on the needs and interests of the group.

Since numerous scientific studies show that reading on paper improves understanding and memorization of content, facilitating critical reflection, it is strongly recommended that all materials available on the Virtual Campus are printed and that activities and exercises are always worked on on paper. On the other hand, the use of digital devices (tablets or computers) and mobile phones in the classroom will be restricted to teaching activities and always at the request of the professor.

Regarding the reading of The Odyssey, the teachers will monitor it throughsupervised activities to ensure that the student has read and understood the work, is able to place it in its production axis and assess its importance in our cultural legacy.

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Activities and in-person/virtual tests of grammar and translation 10% 4 0.16 1, 2, 3, 9, 6, 4, 7
Attendance and active participation in classroom 10% 40 1.6 2, 9, 6, 4, 5, 8, 7
Exam 1 20% 1.5 0.06 1, 2, 9, 5, 7
Exam 2 40% 1.5 0.06 1, 2, 9, 5, 7
Reading activities and tests in Greek 10 % 2 0.08 1, 2, 4
The Odyssey: control of reading 10 1.5 0.06 2, 3, 9, 7

This subject does not incorporate single assessment.

Evaluation
										
											
										
											The evaluation process is closely linked to the learning process. Throughout the learning process, the specified assessment activities will be carried out, in accordance with the program that will be provided to the students at the beginning of the year. 
The students will have at their disposal individualized tutoring sessions to comment on the results obtained and proposals for improvement.
There will be two language exams.
In addition, The Odyssey by Homer must be read in a Catalan or Spanish translation. This reading will be assessed through a written test. Evaluation activities

Evaluation is a continuous process during which students must have the possibility to know their progress through partial marks. For the evaluation of this subject, the following activities will be taken into account:
  1. two exams on translation with morphosyntax exercises and grammatical commentary on texts [20% + 40%].
  2. a reading exam of the Odyssey [10%]
  3. activities and tests in reading in Greek [10%]
  4. in-person or virtual activities and tests in grammar and translation [10%]
  5. attendance and active participation in the classroom [10%]

Absence

In case of absence from an assessment activity, if the absence is planned, the student must notify the teacher in advance. If it is unforeseen, he will notify the teacher as soon as possible. In any case, absence from an assessment activity must be justified with an official document. Since the dates of the assessment activities will be known to the students from the beginning, absences due to driving tests or trips will not beconsidered justified.

 

Not assessable
										
											
										
											The student will receive the grade of Not Assessable as long as he has not delivered more than 30% of the assessment activities.
										
											
										
											Plagiarism
										
											
										
											In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. 
In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

Use of IA

This subject allows the use of AI technologies exclusively for support tasks such as bibliographic or content-based searches, text correction or translations, where applicable. In the case of subjects in a Modern Languages degree, use of translation must be specifically authorised by the teacher. Other specific situations may be contemplated, as deemed appropriate by the teacher. The student must clearly (i) identify which parts have been generated using AI technology; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in the assessed activity will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade may be lowered, or the work may even be awarded a zero. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.
 

  Procedure for the review of qualifications

  On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.

Reassessment process
										
											
										
											Students will have the right to reasses the subject as long as they have done 2/3 of the proposed assessment activities.
										
											
										
											It is a compulsory requirement to get a minimum grade of 5 in each of the exams to pass the subject in the ordinary assessment. If this grade is not reached, students will have to reasess the part with a grade of less than five.
										
											
										
											They will be able to reassess: a translation and grammatical exam (40%) and the reading test (10%).
										
											
										
											The mark obtained in the reassessment will replace the ordinary evaluation in each of its parts. In the event that the reassessment mark is lower than the ordinary evaluation mark, the ordinary evaluationmark willbe maintained.The reassessment will be passed if the weighted average is equal to or higher than 5 points and the grades for each of the reassessment activities have been passed with a minimum of 4 points.

 

 

 


Bibliography

HANDBOOKS, EXERCICES BOOKS AND ANTHOLOGIES

  • ALBERICH MARINÉ, JOAN, Delos 1. Grec Batxillerat. Primer curs, Barcelona: Vicens Vives, 2002.
  • ALBERICH MARINÉ, JOAN, Delos 2. Grec Batxillerat. Segon curs, Barcelona: Vicens Vives, 2003.
  • BALASCH, MANEL.-ROQUET, ENRIC., Acrópolis, Barcelona: Vicens Vives, 1992.
  • BALME, MAURICE; LAWALL, GILBERT; MIRAGLIA, LUIGI; BÓRRI, TOMASSO, Athenaze. Introduzione al greco antico, volume I, Montella (Avellino) 2009.
  • CAPELLÀ SOLER, MARGALIDA, Grec 1. Barcelona:Teide, 2005.
  • CAPELLÀ SOLER, MARGALIDA, Grec 2. Barcelona: Teide, 2005
  • DEL POZO, ALBERTO, Introducción al griego, Barcelona: Teide, 1992.
  • DEL POZO, ALBERTO- ALBERICH, JOAN- LEÓN, C.- LÓPEZ, P., Textos griegos, Barcelona: Teide, 1984.
  • DÍAZ ÁVILA, MARIO, Alexandros. TO HELLENIKON PAIDION. Granada: Cultura Clásica, 2014
  • FERNÁNDEZ GALIANO, MANUEL- RODRÍGUEZ ADRADOS, FRANCISCO, Primera antología griega, Madrid: Gredos, 1974.
  • GARCÍA GUAL, CARLOS- MORALES OTAL, CONCEPCIÓN- LUCAS DE DIOS, JOSÉ MARIA., Griego 1 Bachillerato, Madrid: Santillana, 2008.
  • HILLARD, ALBERT ERNEST - BOTTING, CECIL GEORGE, Elementary Greek Translation, London: Duckworth, 1982.
  • KINCHIN SMITH, FRANCIS - MELLUISH, T.W., Ancient Greek. A foundation course, London: Teach Yourself Books, 1992.
  • MAHONEY, ANNE, First Greek Course (after W.H.D. Rouse), Newburyport, MA: Focus Publishing, 2011.
  • MAHONEY, ANNE (ed.), Rouse's Greek Boy. A Reader, Newburyport, MA: Focus Publishing, 2010.
  • Reading Greek(I-II). Mètode per a la lectura del grec clàssic,Barcelona: PPU, 1987.
  • MARTÍNEZ, SOTODOSOS, CÉSAR i OVEJAS ARANGO, MERCEDES, Mythologica. ΟΙ ΜΥΘΟΙ ΤΗΣ ΧΑΡΑΣ. Granada: Cultura Clásica, 2016.
  • RICO, ChRISTOPHE, Polis. Parler le grec ancien comme une langue vivante, Paris: Les éditions du Cerf, 2009.
  • SAFFIRE, PAULA-FREIS, CATHERINE, Ancient Greek alive, Chapell Hill and London: The University of North Carolina Press 1999.
  • SHELMERDINE, CYNTHIA W., Introduction to Greek, Newburyport, MA: Focus Publishing, 2008.
  • VERNHES, JEAN VICTOR, ἔρμαιον. Initiation au grec ancien, Paris: Ophrys, 2001.

GRAMMAR

  • BERENGUER AMENÓS, JAIME, Gramática griega, Barcelona: Bosch, 2002.
  • BERTRAND, JÖELLE, La grammaire grecque par l'exemple, Paris: Ellipses, 1996.
  • BERTRAND, JÖELLE, Nouvelle grammaire grecque, Paris: Ellipses, 2000.
  • BERTRAND, JÖELLE, Nouvelle grammaire grecque, Paris: Ellipses, 2000.
  • HOFFMANN, OTTO- DE BRUNNER, ANTON - SCHERER, ANTON, Historia de la lengua griega, Madrid: Gredos, 1973 [traducció de l'original alemany en dos volums publicat a Berlin 1969].
  • FERNÁNDEZ GALIANO, MANUEL, Manual práctico de morfología verbal griega, Madrid: Gredos, 1981.

DICTIONARIES

  • ALBERICH, JOAN et alii, Diccionari Grec-Català. D'Homer al s. II d. C. Barcelona, Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2015.
  • ALBERICH, JOAN - ROS, MONTSERRAT, La transcripció dels noms propis grecs i llatins, Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana, 1993.
  • BERTRAND,JÖELLE, Vocabulaire grec. Du mot à la pensée. L'abrégé, Paris: Ellipses, 2008.
  • BYL, SIMON, Vocabulaire grec de base, Bruxelles: de boeck, 2004
  • FERNÁNDEZ GALIANO, MANUEL, La transcripción castellana de los nombres propios griegos, Madrid: S.E.E.C., 1969.
  • PABÓN, JOSÉ Mª., Diccionario manual griego-español, Barcelona: VOX, 1993.
  • PABÓN, JOSÉ Mª.Diccionari manual grec clàssic-català, Barcelona: VOX, 2011 [Trad. al català de Vicenç Reglà, Remei Tomàs, Guillem Cintas i Priscila Borrell]

GRAMMARS

GREEK TEXTES

DICTIONARIES

Greek-English

Greek-French

OTHERS WEBS


Software

To use Greek alphabet in your computer:

For PC: http://www.ub.edu/electra/euclides

For Mac, you can add utilities to your writing programm with Popchar.


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 2 Catalan first semester morning-mixed