Smith Kinchin F., Melluish T.W. Greek

2nd edition. — The English Universities Press Ltd., 1968. — 336 p. — (Teach Yourself Books). — ISBN: 0-340-05793-9.It proves a very different work from the later version by Gavin Betts that remains in print. Smith and Melluish wrote a book that was meant for those who wanted some basic knowledge of Greek to understand it's enormous influence on the English lexicon and who wanted to try at reading some simple prose before deciding on further study of the language. As a result, there are are no Greek composition exercises (= translation of English sentences into Greek), a hallmark of a rigorous introduction. Even accents have been left off the words to avoid burdening the learner. The tone throughout is humorous, though some of the jokes may now be difficult to get now that the British schooling tradition assumed in the book is no longer around. Of course, the book does have a daunting amount of paradigm tables, but these can hardly be avoided in the teaching of Classical Greek. It's curious that the publishers of Teach Yourself didn't have this book updated and reissued as TEACH YOURSELF BEGINNER'S ANCIENT GREEK, since it would make a fine companion volume to Teach Yourself Beginner's Latin. If you just want to see what Classical Greek is like without it being assumed that you're committed to reading real prose-and poetry and drama as well-then this book of Smith and Melluish may be worth searching out on the used market. If you are a serious student, however, Betts' book is the one to get.
Many people who would welcome an opportunity to get on nodding terms with Greek are repelled by the austerity of the traditional Greek Course. They want to be able to read, not to write, Greek. The long apprenticeship of translating sentences from English into Greek is for them a tedious irrelevance that stands between them and their limited objective. Many, it is to be feared, turn away sorrowfully from the prospect, and are the poorer in consequence.
It is primarily for this class that the authors of this book have endeavoured to cater. They believe that it is possible to introduce simple pieces of actual Greek from the very beginning. They provide no translation from English into Greek. They expect no previous knowledge of Latin or any other inflected language.The Alphabet
Pronunciation
Reading Practice
Inflexions. First and Second Declension Nouns and Adjectives
Second Declension (contd.)
The Definitive Article
The First Declension
The Verb—Present and Future
Third Declension. Consonant Stem
Third Declension Nouns (contd.)
The Verb: First and Second Aorist, Imperfect, Infinitives and Participles—Active
The Verb: Perfect and Pluperfect—Active
Third Declension (contd.). Vowel Stems, Diphthongs and Irregulars
The Middle Voice
The Passive Voice
The -mi Verbs
More -mi Verbs
The Adjective
Comparison and Adverbs
Contracted Verbs
Imperatives
Prepositions
Numerals
Pronouns and Correlatives
Irregular Verbs
The Infinitive, Verbal Adjective and Impersonal Verbs
Participles
The Subjunctive and Optative Moods
Vocabulary
Keys