Building “Lego” Blocks!

Ancient Greek Word of the Week: “λέγω”

Dear Classical KIDS,

We have a lot to SAY about today’s ancient Greek word of the week… but before we get into this important ‘Lego’ block, a quick reminder that tomorrow we have our Classical KIDS Virtual Museum tour.

We’ll explore the Musei Capitolini in Rome and discuss Constantine, Romulus and Remus, Marcus Aurelius and more! Kids will get to chat with each other, play games, and learn about history and mythology.

Please note: This is for KIDS, so it will NOT be recorded and we ask all attendees to keep their videos on to participate.

It will start at 6 pm EDT on Wednesday and will last less than an hour. Please register in advance to receive the zoom link:

I hope you can join us! Now, onto Eugenia’s excellent ancient Greek words of the week. Today we’ll introduce a new word and next week we’ll do a review and games with the important “Lego” building block.

Finally, if you haven’t checked out Eugenia’s ancient Greek text books, you should definitely do so.

You can study the alphabet here and practice vocabulary with this fun book.

All the best,

Anya Leonard

Founder and Director Classical Wisdom

Building “Lego” Blocks!

By Eugenia Manolidou, Elliniki Agogi  

Did you know that every time you have a dialogue with a friend, listen to a monologue in the theater, or use logic to solve a problem, you are actually speaking a bit of Greek? 

All of these words come from the ancient Greek verb “λέγω,” which means 'to speak' or 'to say.’ Let’s see how the roots and seeds of λέγω open up a whole new world of meaning about communication, logic, and expression! 

• Διάλογος (pron. dhiálogos, mean. dialogue): A dialogue is a conversation between two or more people. The Greek root “διά” (dhiá = through) combined with λέγω (légho) gives us the word “dialogue,” meaning to speak through ideas. Through dialogue, we communicate, exchange ideas, and learn from each other. 

• Λογική (pron. loghikí, mean. logic): Logic is the study of reasoning and principles of correct thinking. It comes from the Greek word “λογική” (loghikí), which means “the art of reasoning.” Λέγω gives us “λόγος” (logos), meaning “word” or “reason,” and forms the basis of logical thinking, where words and ideas are carefully connected to form valid conclusions. 

• Μονόλογος (pron. monóloghos, mean. monologue): It comes from “μόνος” (monos = alone) and λέγω, meaning a speech by one person. In plays, movies, or everyday conversation, a monologue is a way for someone to express their thoughts out loud, often as a way of explaining or reflecting on something important. 

• Κατάλογος (pron. katálogos, mean. catalogue): The word “catalogue” has its roots in λέγω too. It comes from “κατά” (katá = according to) and λέγω, meaning a list or enumeration of items, usually arranged in a logical order. A catalog helps us organize and present information in a way that is easy to follow. 

Words like dialogue, logic, monologue and so many more, show us how important λέγω is to the way we communicate and reason today. Speaking, thinking, and expressing  ideas are all connected to the ancient roots of the Greek language. Understanding them helps us see how essential words and speech are in shaping the world around us. 

Next week we’ll review λέγω with games, worksheets, activities and more!