Latin Texts

[Cogito]

Salvete!
I am a Latin novice who was wondering if it helps to read Latin authors in my native language ( English ) before reading them in their original context.
I also wanted to know what the differences in general are, when reading Latin in it's original form compared to a translation.
Gratias

[Hampie]

Ofcourse it do helps if you know what the text is saying when you read it: then you can figure out things that you otherwise might need a dictionary for – however, I think you need to have some kind of base knowledge due to the very different syntax of Latin compared to English.

[adrianus]

I also wanted to know what the differences in general are, when reading Latin in it's original form compared to a translation.

I can't read, or write or speak Latin fluently and I'm far from doing so, I think, but even the little understanding I have of Latin gives me real pleasure in little accomplishments. So if I can close the gap further, more pleasure must be in store. The same can be said of any language, of course, Cogito.

The difference is like that between fresh and processed food, I think, too!

Facundè latinè non lego, non scribo, non loquor, et longè abero ut sic faciam, ut credo. Verumtamen quantulumcunque latinae linguae mihi est, tantùm plùs magnificantur deliciae parvola assequendo. Quàm majores deliciae lacunis comprehensionis complendis exspectandae sunt. Verè idem dicam de omne linguâ, ô Cogito.

Et simile est discrimen inter cibum recentem et in officinâ confectum, ut opinor!