One of the things I love most about learning a new language is taking its sentences completely out of context.
I learnt the classical Greek word for seed today. It is "σπερμα". Anglicised, it is pronounced "sperma". Yes, the modern word is derived from the Greek word for seed.
Needless to say, it made today's lessons very interesting.
Found in today's Greek lessons:
"έλθε δευρο, ώ καταρατε, μη κατθευδε άλλα βοηθει. λαμβανε γαρ το σπερμα και όπισθεν βαδιχε."
Translation:
"Come here, you cursed creature! Don't sleep but help! Get your seed and come behind me!"
"ό μεν όυν δουλος το σπερμα και όπισθεν βαδιχει, ό δε δεσποτης καλει την Δημητερα και λεγει "ίλαος ίσθι ώ Δημητερ, και πληθυνε το σπερμα."
Translation:
"While the slave takes the seed and goes behind his master, the master calls out to Demeter and says, "Be Gracious, Demeter and multiply the seed!"
"έπειτα δε το κεντρον λαμβανει και κεντει τοθς βους και λεγει "σπευδετε, ώ βοες έλεκετε το αροτρον και αροτρεθετε τον αγρον"
Transalation:
"And then, the master takes his goad, goads the oxen and says, "Hurry, oxen! Drag the plough and plough the fields!"
Nothing is ever boring with a dirty mind.
6 comments:
You're taking Greek lessons?
Yeah, what CSC said. Where does one learn Greek in Singapore anyway?
Tym, Shyue Chou,
I'm learning Classical Greek from a friend of mine. He read classics in London. I'm not aware of a commercial course for Greek in Singapore, though one suspects that Bible College might have a course.
When I visited Oxford this year, I saw a full set of the classics at Blackwell's. The difference between the set of classics and that elsewhere is that this set is in Greek!
Are you still in Singapore?
I am in Singapore still.
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