Latin or Ancient Greek -- do I ALSO need to speak it?

Question

I am planning to go to Grad school to study Theology. Now, I have the options to study Greek or Latin (Most likely I will study Greek). Anyway, my question is, since I am planning to self-study, I know I need to learn to understand, read, and write it but WHEN I STUDY ANCIENT GREEK OR LATIN, DO I ALSO NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK THEM?

*I mean, I know that It's kind of weird but since I will be researching Greek or Latin texts and READING them, do I still need to know how to speak it?

THANKS!

Answer 1

It won't be necessary. By studying texts, you will also learn pronounciation. The truth is that no one can be sure about what they sounded like when people actually used them.

Answer 2

Speaking it wouldn't be a bad thing but learn to speak modern. You may want to go to the Holy Land some day. There is no such thing as Latin that I know of or no country of Latin. The people of Rome are Italians and they speak Italian. Latin is not a modern language.

For the class study Old Greek. The modern came from it. That was a no brainer line.

Ask in Theology class what you should do and ask of people who have already been through this.

Answer 3

Well in class it will happen that you have to read texts aloud and then translate them. So basic pronounciation skills will be necessary.
You won't be able to read verses without the pronounciation.
Things like:
Aurea prima sata est aetas, quae vindice nullo,
sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectumque colebat.

With Latin it is very clear how it sounded - there are ancient texts which are very specific on pronounciation and so we have quite a clear idea how it sounded. I don't know for ancient Greek but I think there is an "agreed upon" pronounciation nowadays which is very close to the original (which also varied through the centuries - I believe).

Answer 4

cherry pie is right...no one knows how they sounded.but,my personal opining is,that,if you learn ancient Greek,one day,if you want it,it will be easier for you to learn modern Greek.also,Greek will bring you closer to the Greek culture.
i think that while you will be reading the text,the pronunciation will come up...you don't have to worry about it!
good luck!!!