Why you should consider learning one of the most exciting languages in the world!
Do you love learning new languages? Do you love history and culture? Do you want to understand the world a bit better? Or, actually, do you crave immersing in a whole new world? Then maybe Greek is for you! A unique language that has been the basis of almost all Western languages to develop, hand in hand with a history and culture that amuses everyone, Greek is fascinating and can open to you a whole new world.
Here are 10 reasons why you should consider enrolling in a Greek class asap!
- You already have a good basis to start from: So many words of different languages derive from Greek: prefixes and suffixes such as photo- (e.g. photography, photogenic), chrono- (e.g. chronology, chronicle) or -ology (e.g. ontology, pathology) come from Greek. If you are also a person into science, learning Greek can help you understand a mass of words and terms in medicine, physics, mathematics, or even astronomy, as many scientific terms derive from the Greek language. Learning Greek thus can help you understand even better science itself!
- Greece is where democracy was born: Are you a history and politics savvy? Then learning Greek is a guaranteed way for you to draw a full picture of how the concept of the Athenian democracy was invented. You will undeniably have an advantage in discussions about politics when you will be able to read the original texts of Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and of other Greeks who have left their heavy footprint in the area of political philosophy! How cool, right?
- Greek history and culture are amazingly rich: Greece has been the earliest European civilization and has affected to a very big extend the culture and history of the Western world. Great works of art from different historical periods will amuse you as you will be realizing how amazing Greek music, poetry, literature, and theatre are and how much they resonate with the human emotions.
- Greece is strikingly beautiful: Knowing a foreign language opens the door to whole new experiences and why should you not be able to enjoy your vacation in a country full of new things to see? From the literally thousands of magnificent Greek islands, to small, picturesque Greek villages, snowy mountains, or hidden lakes, Greece has everything one is looking for. And knowing the language can help you understand the culture and the people, while making your trip(s) easier.
- Greek is a language of multilateralism: Modern Greek history has proven that Greek is a language spoken by many people around the world, such as Greek Orthodox and Catholic Christians or Greek Jews. Thus, learning Greek is also a fantastic way to reach a wide array of different civilizations!
- The well-known Greek hospitality: Greek people are famous for their hospitality (the well-known “philoxenia”) and eagerness to help whoever’s in need. They will always answer any question, explain things to you, talk to you for hours if you wish for whatever topic you’d like to talk about! Being able to speak the language, you can be capable of meeting and connecting with new people who are always friendly and happy. What’s more exciting than this?
- Religion is key: If one wants to delve deep in the Greek culture, they should learn more about the country’s religion. And this is because the Greek Orthodox religion is a key aspect of Greece’s social fabric. How fascinating is it to learn how, for instance, religion has been one of the drivers that kept the country united in difficult times such as the 400-years-long Turkish occupation or the Second World War?
- Food is the answer!: You are not a culture/history person? That’s ok! Then the delicious, mouth-watering Greek food is a very legitimate reason why you would want to start your Greek course right now. Just imagine the pride you’d have in a Greek restaurant ordering souvlaki, feta, spanakopita and moussakas as a real native Greek.. Yummy!
- Let’s talk business: After years of financial turbulence, Greece is now re-entering the investment market. As a corridor to the East and a door to the West, the country offers many opportunities for your next business venture. What an added value it is to know a country’s local language, right?
- Challenge yourself: We’ve left this for the end. If you belong to the group of people who love challenging themselves, learning Greek is without doubt for you! Greek is so different in many ways: it has difficult letters, a variety of intonations and a grammar not that easy to learn. But even if it demands more intensive studying, speaking one of the oldest, richest, and most diverse languages in the world is undeniably worth it! Ready for a new challenge?
By Ioanna Karagianni