Bible Greek Alphabet per LXX +10 Reading Tips

EDITED 10/18/08. This introductory video follows LXX pronunciation. LXX transliterates Hebrew names pan-Bible, so you can tell what Hebrew sounds are aped by what Greek letter(s). Its pronunciation scheme is the more reliable, surely. In LXX,

* Dipthongs are blends of individual letter sounds: I will do a later video on them. So for example, "ai" would be ah+ee, so "kai" rhymes with "sky", "buy", etc. Dipthong "ei" would be eh+ee, so "sei" rhymes with "play", "say", etc.

You get the idea. Other LXX differences are:

* beta is used for beth w/ AND w/o dagesh, so it's both a hard & soft "b";

* delta, too, hard & soft -- used for dalet w/ AND w/o dagesh, and sometimes for tet.

* eta is used for tsere's dipthong-y "a" sound (halfway between "a" & "e");

* gamma, hard & soft, for gimmel w/ AND w/o dagesh;

* omicron, for what the later Massoretes denote as qibbuts, which is a flattened "o" or "u". Omicron is sometimes used for Masoretic seghol, too.

* upsilon is used to imitate the waw alone.

* "ou" is used to translate Masoretic shureq.

* chi is used for kaf, both initial and terminal; and sometimes, het.

Now contrast with this modern Greek pronunciation video, courtesy of someone in a BibleWorks forum. Note well the morphing of very different letters into one sound (eta=iota, i-ending dipthongs made "ee" sounds). Thus we know modern pronunciation is NOT Bible's:

http://apostolicbible.com/seminars/pronunciationseminar.mov

Jonathan Pennington pronounces LXX-style koine Greek on CD, available at Amazon (my copy cost $20).

My pastor taught us the same sounds. A university philologist who dislikes my pastor nonetheless complimented his pronunciation, so I recommend the CD.

Syntax and Grammar: wonderful Youtuber tenneral suggests HPV Nunn's fabulous "Short Syntax of New Testament Greek". Download it here: http://www.textkit.com/learn/ID/141/author_id/62/ . His Attic syntax is not available for download, but is sold at Amazon.

Also I would suggest 'big' Kittle. Little Kittle is bundled with BibleWorks version 7.

Another wonderful source: Perseus at Tufts.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• koine
• Attic
• Greek
• alphabet
• aorist
• gnomic
• participle
• exegesis
• LXX
• debate
• pronunciation
• transliteration

[meusisto]

What is LXX, please?

[brainouty]

@meusisto It means the Old Testament of the Bible, which the Jews translated from the Hebrew into Greek back in 273 BC or so, to make a copy for Pharaoh Philopater's library in Alexandria. The Lord Jesus Christ and all the NT writers extensively quote from it. Google on 'Septuagint' (which is the word for the Roman numerals 'LXX').

[meusisto]

@brainouty

Ah it's very simple, thank you! I just didn't realize that it's just the Roman numbers.

[brainouty]

@meusisto Glad you know, now!

[meestro]

Ancient Greek is pre-Biblical Greek (aka Common Greek aka Koine Greek) Koine is pronounced as it is today in Modern Greek (kee-nee). The only way to learn it properly is either from someone who studies from a non Erasmian source, or is Greek. Erasmus was intentionally Latinizing the Greek Alphabet. This isn't how it was spoken. Kids in Greece still learn Koine this very day. Most local Greek Orthodox churches offer a 'Greek School' course. I recommend it for better understanding.

[brainouty]

Bible Greek is koine and a mix of five other Greek dialects. It has nothing to do with Erasmus. I can look at the LXX and know how the letters are pronounced. The claim that koine as pronounced by Greeks today is the same, is a complete lie. Good bye.

[Surfxeo]

Music is so annoying I couldn't continue watching.

[SupernautG]

@phoenix1925 Greek at the time of Rome is not considered "ancient" to scholars (they reserve that for earlier Greek dialects before Alexander the Great brought about the Hellentistic era).

[TEO135]

wtf is this????

[brainouty]

squareman777, a believer can simply use 1John1:9 and get Holy Spirit's brains. John 14:26, He RECALLS what you heard, and RELATES it to what you see.

So it becomes easy to recall grammatical uses of Greek when you find them later in study -- as the Spirit will recall them to you.

That's what happened to me. I just listened to my pastor teach; the grammar tips are his -- recalled easily, while making the video.

Same will happen to you via 1John1:9 & study. Test that claim, see for yourself.