Why learn GREEK?

Greek is one of the first Indo-European languages to be written, one of the oldest written languages in the world, and the language with the longest alphabetic graphology history. Greeks have always been conscious of the unique beauty and influence of their own language. Even the name barbarian, which means "one who does not speak Greek," is derived from the Greek word "Β?ΡΒΑΡΟΣ."

Root Words in the English Language

Numerous terms come directly from Greek to English in addition to those that are indirectly transmitted through Latin and other languages. Greek words are the origin of about 35% of English words. Students who study Greek are better able to understand and recognize root words, expanding their vocabulary in English as they study Greek.

The Mediterranean and European Union Languages

Greece and Cyprus are important players in the geopolitical structure of Europe and the Mediterranean as EU members. Greece and Cyprus are able to build a bridge between East and West in terms of politics, culture, and society thanks to their deep historical ties to both Europe and the Middle East.

The Multicultural Language

A variety of cultures and peoples have spoken and used Greek. Greek is spoken by Greek Orthodox and Catholic Christians, Greek Jews, Greek Muslims, and as an ancient and contemporary minority language in many different countries, as shown by current Greek history, proving that it is the language of multiculturalism.

The Resistance Language

Greece was crucial to stopping Hitler's army's advance on Moscow during World War II in Europe. The Greeks fought for justice, especially the protection of Greek Jews, with great courage and strength. "The Greek soldier, above all, fought with the most courage," allegedly stated Hitler. In awe of the courage displayed by Greeks in their struggle against fascism, Winston Churchill declared, "Therefore, we shall not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks." Literature, visual arts, and cinema all flourished under the military government from 1967 to 1974.

The Literature's Language

Giorgos Seferis (1963) and Odysseas Elytis are two of the 20th century's Nobel Laureates in Literature from Greece (1979). These laureates, along with other poets and authors like C. P. Cavafy, Yiannis Ritsos, and numerous more, have conveyed the sensation of being the keepers of this ancient civilisation, of belonging to the Ancient and Modern worlds at once, and of what it means to be a human.

Greek culture has benefited greatly from the many outstanding poems that have been set to music. The incredible universe of this great literature, which has impacted innumerable authors throughout Europe, the United States, and the rest of the world, is made accessible to us through learning Greek.

Learning History in Its Own Language Numerous potentials exist in the domains of history and archaeology thanks to modern Greek. There is a wealth of information on Greek history, spanning all of its eras, that has been published in Greek but is inaccessible in English. Learning Modern Greek enables students to get fully immersed in the past, gain knowledge from native speakers, and recognize that Greece, with its culture and people, is still very much a part of this past.

Adapted from the ACTFL Modern Greek Special Interest Group

Need a Greek teacher? Click here

https://www.fiverr.com/share/P6b3pG