What constitutes "intermediate reading proficiency" in Greek or Latin?

[Yetanotherdegree]

I'm looking at a couple of course options for next year. They're courses in the various languages, but the descriptions don't list prerequisites. Instead, they say that they require "intermediate reading proficiency."

How would you understand that? How many courses does it take to get to an intermediate level? Is there some sort of standard for this somewhere? I googled but am not finding anything helpful?

Thanks for any info!

[ἠφανισμένος]

For ancient languages, "beginning" usually refers to the first year of study (two semesters) and "intermediate" to the second year (two semesters).  Intermediate reading proficiency, in my experience, usually indicates that you've finished four total semesters of the language.  In practical terms, that means you've been through a first-year textbook (Wheelock's, Learn to Read Latin, Cambridge, or something like that) and you've spent the second year reading authentic texts.

 

 

For what it's worth, I've taken both Greek and Latin courses for which I had not taken the prerequisities, but my language ability was adequate because of studying on my own.  I talked to the instructor, explained that I thought I could handle it, and was allowed to take the class -- with the provision that I would drop if it proved to be too much.

[Yetanotherdegree]

Thank you!

[la sarar]

The following info. is taken from http://www.hds.harvard.edu/academics/degree-programs/mts-program/mts-requirements ________________ Language Requirements

MTS students must satisfy a language competency requirement by demonstrating intermediate reading competency in a language of scholarship in theological and religious studies. Students in these programs are not limited to the seven languages examined by the School and may meet their requirement with another language subject to the approval of the appropriate curriculum committee. There are four ways MTS students may demonstrate intermediate-level reading competency to satisfy the language requirement with one of the seven languages examined by HDS:

• By passing an HDS language qualifying examination (given in September and April; in addition, French, Spanish, and German will be offered in January). Samples of previous qualifying exams are available for practice.
• By completing with a grade of B- or better the second semester of an HDS intermediate-level course in Greek or Hebrew (e.g., 4021 Intermediate Classical Hebrew II or 4221 Intermediate Greek II) or one semester of an HDS advanced intermediate-level course in Latin (e.g., Readings in Christian Latin: Hildegard of Bingen and the Gospels).
• By receiving a grade of A- or higher on the final exam in a modern language course in the School's Summer Language Program.
• By receiving an A- or better in 4414 Advanced Intermediate German Readings or 4454 Advanced Intermediate French Readings or 4464 Advanced Intermediate Spanish Readings.

For languages taught at Harvard University other than the seven offered and examined by the Divinity School, the same principles will apply for satisfying the language requirement. Students must achieve intermediate competency, which is usually measured as finishing with a B- or better the fourth semester of a language course that follows the four-semester model. For languages that do not fit the four-semester model, the student should consult with the director of language studies and provide a description of the courses from the FAS catalog or from the instructor.

For languages outside the purview of any instructor at Harvard University, intermediate competency will be demonstrated by a satisfactory grade (B- or better) in a language examination. The procedure for this is as follows: The student will contact and secure agreement for an exam from a faculty member of another university. The student must then submit a petition signed by his/her advisor to the MTS Committee that details the reasoning for the student's choice of language, and the name and institutional affiliation of the proposed examiner. If the MTS Committee approves of the petition, the student will arrange the administration of the exam with the HDS registrar, and consult with the faculty director of language studies about academic guidelines for the exam.

[Yetanotherdegree]

Wow, that's helpful. Thanks!

[thekidisalright]

From my language experience I would agree that "intermediate" for an ancient language means 3-4 semesters. You should have the ability to conjugate regular verbs and decline regular nouns easily, and be able to translate at a reasonable pace with a dictionary in hand. 

[toby42]

For a practical gauge, here's info from a school that will allow you to test out of beginner courses into more intermediate classes:

For Greek you must be familiar with the following:

 

1. All vocabulary words that occur fifty or more times in the Greek N.T.

2. Conjugation of regular verbs in all three persons, singular and plural

3. Ability to parse all verb forms, regular and irregular

4. Explanation of the uses and meaning of verb tenses and moods (except the optative but

including participles and infinitives) and explanation of the various functions of each

5. Ability to decline first and second declension nouns and adjectives

6. Ability to parse third declension noun and adjective forms

7. Identification of various classes of pronouns and their uses

8. Meaning of such details as augments, reduplication, contract verbs, deponent verbs,

articles, etc.

9. Ability to translate the Gospel of John or 1 John.

 

For Hebrew:

 

"A student should have a working knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary as described above. In addition, the student should be prepared to reproduce from memory in Hebrew singular and plural form pronominal suffixes on prepositions (e.g., add to the l preposition all forms of the pronominal suffix) and nouns (e.g., add to the noun μyhilø all forms of the pronominal suffix), as well as all forms of the regular verb (e.g,. write out and identify all forms of the Hiphil imperfect of the root lvm). The student should be able to translate into English basic Hebrew vocabulary, including forms that are of varying gender and number, as well as those in the construct state (e.g., ynEB] as "sons of"). Finally, a student should be prepared to fully parse regular verbs, including those with prefixes (such as prepositions and waw consecutives) and object pronoun suffixes."

 

"The student will be given photocopies of passages from Genesis 1, 3, and Deuteronomy 5:1-21 as found in the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Without the assistance of helps they will be asked to translate specific verses from Hebrew into English, to identify and parse all verbs, and to explain any text critical notes for the verse that may be found in the text critical apparatus at the bottom of the page."

 

 

I'd say that if you can do all of the above, you can comfortably consider yourself an 'intermediate' student.

[Kuriakos]

Based on what you guys are saying, I dramatically understated my reading levels. I bet that didn't help my applications.