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Why Learn Greek Anyway?


Proficiency in Modern Greek unlocks the door to our heritage and our culture. It also ensures that this civilization that has evolved through its ancient, Byzantine and Ottoman pasts to a rich contemporary culture is passed on to the next generation.

Greek is one of the oldest written languages with an alphabet that has been used for over 2,600 years. It has more than 5 million words and a vocabulary describing the slightest feeling or circumstance.

Greek has given most modern languages many words and concepts. About 25% of English words stem directly from Greek, in addition to those which come indirectly through Latin and other languages. Therefore, students who learn Greek are also simultaneously increasing their English language vocabulary.

Greek is the language of philosophy, but it is also the language of STEAM. In the fields of mathematics, chemistry and astronomy we use Greek every day without even realizing it. When it comes to medical terminology, more than 50% of the words or the word elements used are Greek. Ecology, history, biology, geography, geometry, more words from Greek!

If all of the above is not enough, studies have shown that there are tangible benefits to being bilingual and biliterate. Recently, the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology published a study proving that bilingual children perform much better on tasks that use their working memory. Studies have shown that the cultural and neurological benefits of bilingualism also extend into older adulthood.