Better for a newby learning Greek: Mounce or Wallace?

The titles pretty much tell it all. You are just starting out, right? One is "The Basics" and the other is "Beyond the Basics". You need Mounce if you are choosing between the two.

Ryan B said:

I'll probably do self-study until I can afford a class.

Ryan, Mounce has a website with corresponding pre-lectures, reading assignment, video lecture, and additional resources, like blog entries, vocabulary exercises etc.  I have just purchased the text book and workbook with the March Madness savings, and in conjunction with the favorites and links available, am able to put together a pretty comprehensive "self-study" class, I think it is about 45 dollars to have access to the video lectures, but everything else is free, and works well with the Logos version of the book and workbook.  A google search on Mounce Teknia will help you find it.  Plus the greek font/keyboard map help tremendously.

As a fellow "self-study" Greek student, I encourage you to stick with it, maintain a schedule, and find others who are also trying to go through it as well.  Maybe we could start a Faithlife Greek Study group...

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I‘d grab both titles now. The sale price is pretty sweet.

I would definitely go with Mounce as a starter text. It is often used as the textbook for first-year Greek at seminary and Bible college. Wallace is a great grammar, but more helpful as a reference than actually teaching how to read Greek. I also agree that enrolling in a Greek course at a local Bible college or seminary is probably the best. Chances are you'll end up using Mounce anyway.

As an undergrad, I used Mounce. as a graduate we used S.M. Baugh and am told the standard advance is the wallace text.

Ryan B said:

Hello everyone,

I've decided that I'd like to learn Biblical Greek. I already have the Logos Learn Biblical Greek videos which are a start (kind of) and I'll probably do self-study until I can afford a class. Logos March Madness has both Greek Grammar beyond the Basics by Wallace (along with some of his syntax books) and Basics of Biblical Greek by Mounce (along with a few other of his workbooks, readers, etc.) But since I'm just starting out I don't have a clue as to which is better or why. Normally I'd wait, do the research and then buy, but since they're both on sale I thought I'd go for it now.

So I need your help. For those of you who are familiar with Greek and and familiar with these works which would you recommend for me and why?

Many thanks in advance for all your help.

Mounce Basics of Biblical Greek with his workbook and videos can teach you biblical Greek if you are diligent enough to study it and stick with it. Vocab cards you can buy, but it would be better to write out your own. I took official college level Greek courses to learn biblical Greek and we used Mounce grammar, workbook, vocab cards, videos, and the teknia website. We didn't need our professor really, because all he did was teach what Mounce was teaching on the videos. We did need the pressure of timely assignments which kept us honest in being diligent. Once you start, stick with it until you are finished.

Wallace is for more advanced study.

MJ. Smith said:

I would advise you to read a decent English grammar (language arts not linguistics) to make sure you have your grammar terms down.

Back when I took Greek, the instructor did an overview refresher of basic grammar terms. Most everyone forgets grammar terminology which is so important. You might even want to take a refresher course in English grammar. 

Dallas Theological Seminary has a free course on iTunes University in first year Greek that uses the Mounce Basics textbook. You could use that as a free source of lectures to go along with the book. There's enough discussion of English grammar in the textbook that you probably wouldn't need a separate book for English grammar. (I've been going through the lectures as a refresher: NT101 and NT102.)

The workbook would be helpful. It consists of parsing and translation exercises to go along with each chapter in the textbook. There's no answer key for the parsing, but the translations are mostly from the Greek New Testament, and the verse references are given at the end of each chapter.

The reader is intended more for intermediate Greek work - Mounce's Basics textbook recommends it at the end as a way to continue your study.

MJ. Smith said:

I would advise you to read a decent English grammar (language arts not linguistics) to make sure you have your grammar terms down.

MJ has great advice here. It wasn't until I took Greek that I really understood how the English language worked.

Ryan B said:

David if you ever start this Faithlife group I'll be the first to join. I think it's a great idea

Ryan, done.  The group is cleverly named "Basics of Biblical Greek" and as soon as your onboard, we can discuss when to start up the class, and try to invite more folks to participate.

In Christ Who Saves,

Dave

Dean053 said:

I would recommend anything but Mounce and Wallace if you want to learn Greek on your own. 

You think that they are that bad? Why?

Dean has a point regarding memorization- but if you remember you have your reference resources at the finger tips. Over time you will become very familiar with Greek forms, hang in there, use is the best tutor.

I would also like to recommend you incorporate diagramming into your studies this will help reinforce the forms in conjunction with their use in the sentence.

Your goal is to learn the language in the context of the Scriptures, its use, meaning, and implications to what the Lord would have us to know, and do, its not an academic exercise your engaged in.

Yo O.P. (LOL) Ryan,

Try this one: Learn to Read New Testament Greek I think it looks quicker and more manageable.  You can then use Mounce to supplement it.  This is the route I'll be taking to refresh my Greek.  I wish the workbook for this one was available in Logos.  I have Mounce and his workbook which I think will be very helpful.  Black's workbook is available in Vyrso, but from what I hear the quality is not as good.  Plus on the sample they have on Vyrso I don't see the Greek sentences they want you to translate, so I don't know if they are missing or what.  Maybe someone who owns a copy can shed some more info on the workbook and, why not, the actual book too.

DAL

Unix said:

DAL, the workbook has Gk - some if it in smaller grayer font.
The textbook is on the March 2014 monthly sale $20.95. The regular price used to be 29.99 until early Autumn 2013.

Now wonder it doesn't show on the sample pages.  So, how does it work for you? Is it worth getting the workbook (if you have it).  I grabbed the textbook recently, but wasn't sure about the workbook.  Anyway, thanks for your reply!

DAL

David A. Peterson said:

Faithlife group up and running, so far 22 of us ready to start on Monday

Always room for more

Peace, David!               I signed up with the group and am grateful to you and others for engaging in this project.  Thank you kindly!    *smile*

                                               Right now I have a whole bunch of irons in the fire and won't be saying much within the group, although I'll be there -- and striving! to keep up with the lessons and the homework -- at least according to my own schedule ...

                     I first took Greek at Concordia College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the fall of 1954 or 1955, my first year of college as an 18 year old!     On my way to become a Lutheran Pastor (LCMS)                            It will be so good to "refresh"!         ... although I've used my classical AND New Testament Greek since those wonderful and very "heady" days!                                      *smile*                                        My instructing professor was the Reverend Doctor Walter Jennrich.  Then also the Rev. Dr. Augustus C. Hardt whom we lovingly and affectionately called "The Holy Ghost" because he was tall and frail and looked like the Holy Ghost!           *smile*