a sample of the Greek sight text, photo courtesy of UWinnipeg
UWinnipeg honours student in classics and Plato Scholar Daniel Russell has won the Classical Association of Canada’s national Junior Greek Sight Competition. This highly competitive competition is not for the faint of heart. Students from across the country must translate unseen passages without the aid of a dictionary or grammar and within a set period of time. Their translations are then ranked in a blind adjudication process. Russell beat out students from some of Canada’s top schools including the University of Toronto, McGill University, and McMaster University.
Daniel Russell, photo courtesy of UWinnipeg
“The ability to read ancient evidence in the original Greek or Latin remains a critical skill for students of classical antiquity,” explains Dr. Pauline Ripat, Chair, Department of Classics. “Developing the ability to interpret a language written in a different alphabet and in a complicated, foreign grammar requires an extraordinary amount of time and hard work. Daniel’s success is a remarkable achievement and true testimony to his abilities.”
Russell is in his fourth year at UWinnipeg and explains his draw to classics, “I am interested in the study of classics because it contextualizes the history, philosophy, literature, language, art and science of the western world, and it challenges me to compare Greco-Roman cultures and values with on my own. Furthermore, it is a privilege to study under professors whose passion for their subject, coupled with their desire to push students beyond what is expected, is truly contagious.”
Since 1999, this is the 34th time a UWinnipeg classics student has won this competition. These wins reflect the strength and excellence of UWinnipeg’s Department of Classics.
