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Latin I

Course Description

We will study Latin by using Latin. In other words, our class will look and feel a bit like a modern language class becaus we will be not only read, but also speak in Latin. My hope is that this "direct" or "immersion" method of Latin instructions will produce great benefits from day one. We will learn and retain far more Latin in the course of one year than many students do in two or three.

Our textbook is designed to take full advantage of this approach, as there is not a single word of English in the entire book - it is all in Latin. Students will find that they learn and retain Latin much more effectively than with a traditional grammar-translation methodology.

Here is an article from 1887 that discusses how to teach Latin (it will open a new window).

The uses of Latin are myriad:

English/foreign languages: About half of our vocabulary derives directly or indirectly from Latin words. Deconstructing seemingly complicated words in English can be made much simpler by a knowledge of Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes. What is a "puerile" person? Someone who is childish (Latin "puer" means "boy"). What is an "occidental" attitude? One that is Western (Latin "occidens" means "west") as opposed to Eastern (Latin "oriens" means "east"). Beyond simple vocabulary, though, studying Latin (or Greek) is learning "how languages work." Latin forces students to think about good grammar and syntax, and it is in this respect that the aid to the study of English is perhaps greatest.

Medicine/science/law: Here the study of Latin roots pays huge dividends, for the foundational terms of these disciplines are all Latin and Greek. Having a true knowledge of the Latin language puts one head and shoulders over someone who simply tries to memorize various Latin roots, as many do once they realize how valuable they are to know.

Liturgics/ecclesiastical Latin: For well over a thousand years, Latin was the language of scholarship and remains today the official language of the Vatican. Why study classical as opposed to ecclesiastical or "liturgical" Latin? It is simply that classical Latin will give you a much stronger foundation for studying these other branches. A student of classical Latin can move very easily to ecclesiastical and liturgical, but not vice versa.

The tutorial meets twice a week for 90 minutes each. Students can expect to spend about 1-2 hours at home for every hour in the tutorial, so between 3 and 6 hours a week outside the tutorial, depending on a variety of factors, including the student's aptitude, previous knowledge, what we are covering in class on a given week, etc.

Book List

All texts can be ordered from the publisher's web site at http://www.pullins.com/txt/LinguaLatina.htm. Click on "First Year Series" on the left. The first book listed can also be purchased on Amazon (and you can look for used copies there as well). You will need three books:

• Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, Part I, Familia Romana (1-58510-201-6) [you may get either the paperback or hardcover as they are the same text; sometimes used hardcovers are cheaper than new paperbacks]
• Latine Disco: Student’s Manual (1-58510-050-1)
• Exercitia Latina I (1-58510-212-1)