Introduction to the Greek language

3.1. Introduction to the Greek language
The original language of the New Testament is Greek. Why was that language chosen? In this chapter, I introduce the Greek language and its alphabet, and explain that Greek was the dominant language during the time when the New Testament was written. Evidence is also given for the fact that the English alphabet is similar to the Greek alphabet, making the Greek alphabet easy to learn.
The Greek of the New Testament was called the Koinē, common Greek. It was the Greek used by all the Greek-speaking people at that time. What are the specific features of the Greek language? How does it differ from English and other languages? The answers to these questions will give us an insight into the Greek language. This chapter is intended to be a basic introduction to the Greek language of the New Testament. It will introduce the following topics:
(1) The Greeks and their language, and
(2) The Greek alphabet.
After you have completed this chapter, you will be able to recognize all the letters of the Greek alphabet.