ELEMENTARY TREATISE

ON

GREEK GRAMMAR.

BY THE

REV. W. NIBLOCK,

DONEGAL.

EDINBURGH:

W. P. KENNEDY, ST ANDREW STREET.

GLASGOW: D. BRYCE.

LONDON: HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO.

BELFAST: H. GREER. DUBLIN: J. M'GLASHAN.

MDCCCXLVI.

1247

EDINBURGH:

ANDREW JACK, PRINTER,

NIDDRY STREET.

PREFACE.

THE following Treatise on Greek Grammar is intended for the use of Schools and Colleges. In writing it I have consulted the best modern authors on Greek Grammar and Criticism, and have freely availed myself of their labours. Considerable care has been taken in arranging and classifying the different materials of which the work is composed, so that the pupil may find everything, without confusion, under its proper head. My chief study throughout has been to furnish the young learner with a book adapted to his exigencies, written in a plain and perspicuous manner, and containing, in a small compass, as much information as possible. Under the head of Etymology, a full account has been given of the nature of diphthongs, and of the changes that are produced upon consonants for the sake of euphony. Complete formulas of the declension of nouns and conjugation of verbs have also been given, together with numerous examples for practice. It is, moreover, shown, that in many instances the oblique cases of the third declension are not

σ

derived from nominatives now in use, but from obsolete nominatives, which may be found from the genitive by dropping os, and making some other changes required by euphony. Verbs in have been divided into two classes, namely, those that are not liquid, and those that are; the future in the former case being formed by the insertion of a before w, the other changes being made for the sake of euphony. This arrangement supersedes a number of conjugations which some grammarians are in the habit of making. The verb is fully conjugated, for the use of the learner, in the middle as well as in the active and passive voices. The second future active, and second future middle, have been regarded as imaginary tenses. The mode in which contracted verbs have been conjugated will be found, I think, very neat and convenient. The formulas of all the verbs have been printed without turning the page sideways, as is done in most grammars. The way in which contractions are made, may be taught by calling the attention of the student to the manner in which they are formed, in the examples of nouns and verbs contained in the Grammar. Verbs in have been derived from the stem, and not from those in w, as is very generally done, taking for granted that verbs in are older than those in .

On the subject of dialects I have not said anything, except incidentally, being persuaded that they can be easily learned from the authors themselves, and from the lexicons and notes which are

employed as auxiliaries in reading them. Nothing has been written directly on the subject of Prosody, from the conviction, that if the pupil wish to acquire a thorough knowledge of it, he must study it in a separate treatise. A pretty full account has been given of accentuation.

On the department of Syntax, copious rules have been given, which I think, on examination, will be found well arranged and classified. I have given the rules which the Greek has in common with the Latin and English, being confidently of opinion, that the syntax of every language should be taught as distinct from that of every other. I cannot help thinking, that it is a great mistake which some eminent grammarians have fallen into, that it is not necessary that Greek Syntax should contain rules common to that language with Latin.

For the convenience of the pupil in recollecting and repeating the rules, I have in no case made the wording of one rule to depend upon that of another, but have contrived, in all respects, to make every rule complete in itself. I have added rules on the Greek article, chiefly Middleton's, one or two from Buttmann, and others abridged from Kühner. These rules, next to complete in a cheap book, will be found exceedingly useful to young men wishing to make themselves critically acquainted with the syntax of the New Testament.

DONEGAL, 4th Nov. 1846.

W. NIBLOCK.