With the pressure for La Trobe growing to keep Greek Studies going, Neos Kosmos spoke to Australians who studied Greek and who have all benefitted from it as one of the essential languages that are part of the Australian multicultural mix.
Dr Alfred Vincent, now retired from the University of Sydney, studied Ancient Greek who helped to launch Modern Greek Studies at the University of Sydney.
“I was attracted by a language and culture that has been changing over 3,000 years,” Dr Vincent told Neos Kosmos.
“Hundreds went through the course, and at one time there were five full-time staff positions and casuals working at the department. Now I understand it is just two full-time positions. “
He said that in Sydney Macquarie University also offered Greek Studies. He said there was support from the universities and the Greek community for Greek Studies in the city.
“Modern Greek is a heritage language in Australia – particularly since there is a large Greek population here. Heritage languages have not done well in recent years but universities have a responsibility to keep these studies going.
“We are disastrously monolingual in Australia. In studying a language, you enrich your own understanding of the language but of English itself.”
The fact that Greece has produced two Nobel Prize for Literature laureates (Giorgios Seferis and Odysseus Elytis) reflected the importance of Modern Greek to world literature.
Dr Vincent said Greek Studies provided background courses in history and culture which were important to our understanding for the world.
“The decline of Modern Greek in Australia is a symptom of the decline of in the study of essential languages which would have the effect of isolating Australia.
“I would like to persuade La Trobe which has offered a rich selection of language studies in the past to honour its responsibility in Victoria as the only university offering Greek Studies. The Dardalis Archives (housed at the university) are also very important. So much work has been done to promote the course and to put it online.
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Jan Taylor has degrees in Applied Science, Physiotheraphy and Gerontology. A fourth-generation Australian, she has a long association with Greece having lived and worked there. Two years ago, as a mature student, she is enrolled to study for a Bachelor of Arts course, part of which includes Greek Studies at La Trobe. She is also teaching Greek at the University of the Third Age.
“I planned (in he late 1980s) to travel to Italy and study its art. I ended up in Greece instead. I lived in Thessaloniki for two years where I studied Greek at the university. I taught English there until I realized I could make more money in being a physiotherapist, so I returned to Australia,” said Ms Taylor.
“I love Greek, as a language it is logical. I did not find the alphabet difficult to learn. I love the sound of the language which is a bit difficult if you are not used to the pronunciation.
“My students at U3A (at present, she is teaching online) are Australians with no Greek heritage. They are married to Greek spouses.”
“For me Greece is also about its geography, it is gobsmackingly beautiful. The Greeks have a sense of what it is to be human and, in a way, Australia is missing something of that,” said Ms Taylor.
John Herron, a lawyer with six languages under his belt, studied Modern Greek at Sydney University 35 years ago. He married into a Greek family from Zakynthos.
“Greek is a second language for me. I can read and write in it. If I go back to Greece I can pick it up very quickly, within a week or two of being there. I practice speaking Greek when I can.
“Greek Studies was an easy subject for some of the students because their (Greek-speaking) parents often did their homework for them. I found it hard but I loved the language and the culture enough to want to speak it. Without that love you won’t bother to learn. Some will learn the language for the sake of their spouses but would not learn it otherwise,” Mr Herron said.
Mr Herron who also speaks, Russian, Vietnamese, Japanese and French.
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Elizabeth Muggleton, aged 61, is a former Greek Studies student of La Trobe University (2015-2018).
“My husband and I are not Greek, but we started taking our children to Greece in 2001 and have been back many, many times. I learnt the Greek alphabet by reading road signs and felt that I had broken a ‘code’. I finally enrolled at La Trobe to learn to speak the language,” Ms Muggleton told Neos Kosmos.
“I wrote to the Vice Chancellor of La Trobe University to say that: ‘I wanted to speak Modern Greek to assist in ordering a glass of wine or asking directions while in Greece. This I can now do. However, I did not expect to sail with Odysseus, dance on the beach with Zorba or set out for Ithaca with instructions from Constantine Cavafy. These were the wonderful surprises and joys of being a student of Dr. Nikoloudis’.”
“My mature age has not hindered my enjoyment of these studies. It has changed my life to have this new knowledge and experience. It did take a little courage, but I hate to think that anyone, young or old would find the courage, then not have the same opportunity as I to learn about this magnificently rich culture and language.
For Deirdre Roberts, her love of Crete led her to taking up a diploma in Greek Studies at La Trobe last year.
“I have an ongoing love affair with Crete. I visit every year and have lots of friends there, so learning the language and becoming part of the local community is important to me. I particularly love exploring villages and places that are off the beaten track, so knowing the language is a must when talking to the locals.
“Also, knowing the language will mean a richer and deeper enjoyment of all the wonderful cultural events that occur on Crete.
For her the hardest thing about learning Modern Greek was its grammar.
“When I found out there were 18 words for ‘THE’ and that the nouns also changed for each one, I couldn’t believe it. I thought they were joking.”
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“What I was not expecting was to find was a wonderful educator in Dr Stephie Nikoloudis. Dr Nikoloudis passion and commitment to teaching Greek inspired me to become a better student and to really study hard.
“I use what I’m learning every day. I speak and communicate with my Cretan friends on a weekly basis. Daily, I’m listening to Greek music – at the moment I have Marinella and Ploutarhos – on high rotation. And I’ve joined a few Greek communities here in Melbourne.”