Content description VCGRCU026

Classical Greek / Levels 9 and 10 / Understanding / The powerful influence of language and culture

Content description

Understand that Greek became the dominant language of the ancient Mediterranean world and facilitated the spread of Greek civilisation and culture, and that Classical Greek continues to enrich English through specialist vocabulary and abstract concepts embodied in the language

Elaborations

recognising that, from the Hellenistic period onwards, Koine Greek developed from Classical Greek to become the lingua franca of Eastern Mediterranean lands and the language of the New Testament
discussing the spread of Greek influence across the Mediterranean and Black Sea, including the use of Greek as the common language for government, trade, commerce, education and law
investigating how the Greek language allowed the spread of innovative Greek ideas in the areas of science, medicine, mathematics, historiography, geography and philosophy, for example, μαθηματικά, γεωγραφία, ἱστορία, φιλοσοφία
recognising that there were many dialects of Greek spoken in antiquity, such as Doric, Aeolic, Arcado–Cypriot
exploring famous centres of Greek learning and culture such as Alexandria, Antioch and Ephesus
recognising the spread of Greek ideas in the Roman world, shown by the use of borrowed Greek vocabulary in Latin to denote such concepts as stadium, palaestra, rhetor theatrum, comedia, stoica, philosophia
exploring abstract concepts derived from Classical Greek, such as philanthropy, idol, autonomy, paradox, aesthetics, nostalgia, agony
exploring and discussing the meaning of Classical Greek sayings used in literature, such as μηδὲν ἄγαν, γνῶθι σαυτόν, μολὼν λαβέ
recognising words in English that are a hybrid of Classical Greek and Latin, for example, metalanguage, quantum physics, teleconference, television, automobile
discussing Classical Greek derivatives that are used in fields such as business and education, for example, macroeconomics, monopoly, pedagogy, syllabus
examining the Classical Greek roots of English words in subjects across the school curriculum, such as theorem, metaphor, photosynthesis, chlorine, atom, planet, geophysical, ecosystem, orchestra, music, scene, dialogue, chorus, athletics
identifying Classical Greek roots in English scientific, technical and medical terminology, for example, catalyst, aerodynamic, pathogen, bacteria, atherosclerosis, acne, asthma, chromatography, symmetry, thermometer, seismic
exploring how Classical Greek is used to coin terms for new technology and new discoveries in science and medicine in the modern world, such as gigabyte, nanotechnology, antioxidant, polymer, genotype, triglyceride
applying knowledge of Classical Greek to form plurals of borrowed English words, for example, criterion/criteria, phenomenon/phenomena, crisis/crises, thesis/theses, stigma/stigmata
discussing the enduring use of Classical Greek in religious contexts, for example, κύριε ἐλέησον, Χριστὀς, ἐκκλησία, βάπτισμα, συναγωγή, κλῆρος, ἄγγελος, πρεσβύτερος, ὕμνος, βίβλος, εὐαγγέλιον

Code

VCGRCU026

ScOT catalogue terms

Classical Greek language

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