VCE Modern Greek flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

First listening pass purpose

The first hearing of a recording is used to establish overall meaning, topic and speaker relationship; detailed note-taking follows on the second hearing, when specific figures and names can be confirmed.

Contrast signal words

Words such as αλλά, όμως and ωστόσο introduce a qualification or reversal; in listening tasks the information after them usually corrects an earlier statement and supplies the answer.

Greek double negative

In Greek, combining δεν with a negative word such as ποτέ, κανένας or τίποτα keeps the meaning negative, unlike English; a statement like δεν πήγε κανείς means nobody went.

Register from pronouns

Use of συ versus εσείς, and μου versus σας, reveals formality and social distance between speakers, which supports inference questions about their relationship or the setting.

Corrected figure distractor

Recordings often state a number, price or time and then revise it with a phrase like στην πραγματικότητα or τελικά; the revised figure, not the first one, is the answer.

Justification in true/false

When a true or false item requires justification, the answer must cite or paraphrase the specific phrase from the recording that supports the judgement, not simply restate the statement.

Skimming for genre

Identifying text type first - notice, advertisement, opinion piece, news report - sets expectations about structure, tone and likely content, making subsequent detailed reading faster and more accurate.

Verb aspect distinction

Imperfective forms like έγραφα describe habitual or ongoing action, while perfective forms like έγραψα describe a single completed act; questions about duration or repetition depend on this contrast.

Genitive absolute

A participial phrase in the genitive, such as έχοντας τελειώσει, compresses cause, condition or time; expanding it into a full clause with a conjunction tests whether the meaning was understood.

Passive without agent

Passive morphology in -μαι, -θηκε or -μένος often omits the person responsible; when a question asks who did something, the answer may require inferring the agent from context.

Enumeration connectors

Πρώτον and δεύτερον, along with έπειτα and τέλος, mark the sequence of points in a passage; locating them gives a ready-made outline of the writer's argument.

Unsupported inference trap

An option that is generally true but not licensed by the passage is incorrect; the correct inference must be traceable to a specific sentence in the text.

Figurative word meaning

A familiar Greek word may carry an idiomatic sense in context, such as τραβάω meaning to endure; the candidate meaning must be tested against the surrounding clause, not the dictionary entry.

Informal email conventions

An informal Greek email opens with a greeting such as Αγαπητέ/Αγαπητή plus first name or φίλε/φίλη, uses συ throughout, and closes with Φιλιά or Τα λέμε σύντομα.

Formal letter conventions

A formal Greek letter opens with Αξιότιμε κύριε or Αξιότιμη κυρία, uses εσείς and formal vocabulary throughout, and closes with Με εκτίμηση followed by the full name.

Article structure

A Greek article requires a headline, often a subheading, an opening that states the issue, body paragraphs developing it, and a closing comment or call to action.

Report structure

A report presents a title, headed sections stating findings, and a recommendations section; impersonal and passive constructions are typical of this formal text type.

Final -ν retention rule

The final ν of την, δεν and similar words is kept before vowels and before κ, π, τ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ, and dropped before other consonants, as in τη θάλασσα.

Accent on monosyllables

Monosyllabic words are generally written without an accent; exceptions include the interrogative πού and the conjunction ή, which are accented to distinguish them from homographs.

Subjunctive versus future

The subjunctive is formed with να plus the verb, while future and conditional use θα plus the verb; the two particles are never combined in standard Modern Greek.

Register consistency

A text must maintain one address system: second person singular with συ throughout an informal piece, or second person plural with εσείς throughout a formal one; mixing them is a marked error.

Oral examination structure

The oral examination consists of a general conversation about the student's personal world, followed by a discussion of the detailed study text, where opinions must be supported by specific references.

Repair phrases in Greek

Phrases such as Πώς το λένε…, Δηλαδή… and Μπορώ να το εξηγήσω αλλιώς; allow a speaker to keep communication going when a word or structure is momentarily unavailable.

Justifying an opinion

Answers that give a stance plus a reason introduced by επειδή or γιατί, supported by a concrete example, score higher on content depth than bare yes or no responses.

Palatalisation before front vowels

The consonants γ, χ and κ are palatalised before front vowels, as in γη, χέρι and κέφι; accurate palatalisation is a specific pronunciation criterion in the oral.

Range criterion

The oral rewards variety in vocabulary, structures and idiom; accurate use of expressions like κατά τη γνώμη μου or μου κάνει εντύπωση demonstrates range beyond basic phrasing.

Hypothetical question form

Questions asking what someone would do expect either θα with the subjunctive or an αν-clause with the appropriate mood, rather than a simple present-tense statement.

Content versus form

Analysis distinguishes what a text says from how it says it; purpose, audience, tone, structure and stylistic devices are assessed alongside the ideas expressed.

Persuasive device inventory

Common devices to identify and name include rhetorical questions, direct address, repetition, emotive vocabulary, statistics, expert reference, contrast and irony.

Audiovisual meaning cues

Camera angle, close-ups, music, sound effects, editing pace and colour all shape audience response and must be described and linked to effect, not merely listed.

Evidence plus effect

An analytical claim needs evidence - a quoted line or a described shot - followed by a statement of the response it invites in the audience; assertion alone earns little credit.

Greek tone vocabulary

Useful analytical adjectives include ειρωνικός, συγκινητικός, επικριτικός, ουδέτερος, ενθουσιώδης and απειλητικός, each naming a distinct stance a text may adopt.