Algorithm of Translation

Below, you will find a step-by-step guide on how to translate a sentence from Greek to English. It will only include the grammatical possibilities we have covered so far, and I will update it as we cover more material. You don't have to go through all the steps methodically every time, but it's good to have this plan at the back of your head so that you can rely on it when you aren't sure about your translation. Also, in the actual work with the sentence, you will probably return to the previous steps at some points. 

1. Copy the sentence & read it aloud. This is optional, but it helps to get to know the whole sentence a bit before you try to understand it analytically. 

2. Identify and parse each word in the sentence. For each word, that means: understanding, which part of speech it is; finding out, what is the dictionary form of this word and what is the simple translation of it; parsing it, i.e. understanding, what is its Case, Number, and Gender for Nouns and Adjectives, what is its Mood, Tense, Voice, Person and Number for Verbs etc.

3. Consider the possibility of the sentence consisting of several clauses. Clauses are often separated by punctuation and\or conjunctions. Each clause usually has only one principal verb (or several parallel verbs). Also, consider the possibility of direct speech. 

4. If you have identified several clauses, work on them separately! 

5. Try to identify the function of each word. The function of a noun depends on its case and whether it is part of a prepositional phrase.  The function of an adjective is determined by its position relative to the noun.  Verbs in the Indicative, Subjunctive, and Imperative moods always function as the main verb of the clause. We will discuss how Infinitives and Participles function later in the class.

6. Begin translating the clause by translating the simple underlying sentence. That means put the subject of the clause first, then the verb and then the direct object. If the sentence has the verb "to be" or a predicative adjective, notice that instead of a direct object, you would have a predicate in the form of the nominative noun or an adjective.

7. Translate the remaining nouns. You might want to start with Datives and prepositional phrases and end with Genitives.

8. Translate the remaining adjectives. You might want to start with substantive adjectives and then go for attributive adjectives.

9. Put all remaining pieces: conjunctions, particles, etc. Don't forget about the question marks! 

10. Pretty it up! Consider changing the translation of individual words to better express the meaning of the sentence, and rearranging the word order for it to sound better in English.