D'ooge's "Elements of Latin" (warning: lengthy pos

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lindylars
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D'ooge's "Elements of Latin" (warning: lengthy pos

Post by lindylars »

Some folks inquired about my copy of this work (vs. D'ooge's "Latin for Beginners") in my introductory thread here so I spun this off as a separate response...

Slightly OT: Got this item for $6.--. What I thought was neat about it is that a 1933 Latin class signed the back inside cover...anyway back to the topic onhand.

My copy is copyright 1921 with no other printing dates, so it should be Textkit-able should the need/desire arise. I've snipped the following passages from the preface since Dr. D'ooge would be more qualified to discuss this work than myself :lol: (yes, this is only a *portion* of the preface, just enough to get a gist follows -- I will correct typos as I pass over a second time since I'm just dumping this while reading from the book):

"The present volume is not a revision of the author's 'Latin for Beginners,' but is an entirely new book. However, all features of the earlier book that have been highly commended and have proved their value have been retained. Chief among these are the separation of the special vocabularies from the lessons and the insertion of frequent reviews.

The body of the book is divided into two parts: fifty-six lessons for the first half year and fifty-four for the second. While greater in number than in 'Latin for Beginners,' the lessons are much shorter and simpler, and are designed, in most cases, for a single recitation period. Two optional lessons have been added, covering matter that some teachers prefer to include in the work of the first year. The remainder of the book up to the reviews is supplementary in character, and is intended to diversify and enrich the regular work through the lessons, and to supply reading matter after the lessons are completed...

The vocabulary has been limited to about five hundred words, averaging less than five new words per lesson...Nearly all words are Cæsarian, and more than ninety per cent are used in Cæsar five or more times. Still, the vocabulary is of a general rather than of a military character, and most words are found also in Cicero and Vergil.

The priciples of syntax discussed have been reduced to the bare essentials, the author feeling strongly that the tendency still prevailing in some quarters to include the more difficult constructions in the work of the first year is a very mistaken one. The fundamental principles of English grammar are compared with the Latin, and constructions are presented from the standpoint of English...

...It includes famous Greek myths and many legends of ancient Rome, and is designed to arouse and hold the interest of the young. The supplementary reading comprises selections for sight translation, a Latin play, and a story which is intended to serve as an introduction to Cæsar. If not used the first year, it will be found very helpfulat the beginning of the second.

Great emphasis is laid throughout the book on word formation and derivation. Matters of derivation are discussed in many paragraphs, and some entire lessons are devoted to this important and practical subject. Furthermore, the words in the special vocabularies are accompanied by parallel columns of related words, and these are again called for in the vocabulary reviews."

...remainder of preface snipped...

Something else of note is that in the supplementary material there is a section called "Original Stories" where nine pictures are provided with a supporting vocabulary and you are supposed to write a short story based on what you observe in the picture. Regarding this particular section, D'ooge states "...Teachers are urged to make frequent use of this material for original work in substitution for exercises found in the lessons." There is also a short section called "Latin Songs" complete with musical notation, presumably piano arrangements, which I don't recall a corresponding section being present in "Latin for Beginners."

So "Elements of Latin" is definitely an evolution from "Latin for Beginners" but I don't have the experience base to say whether it is an advancement or regression from the earlier work. If anyone needs more specifics just ask and I'll post as best as I can.

Regards,
Ron

Fredericus
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Post by Fredericus »

What is the intended follow-on to this course, Caesar?

Since it's limiting vocabulary, I assume it's emphasizing grammar. How much does it cover? Similar to the previous work?

lindylars
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Post by lindylars »

I believe Cæsar is the intended follow up since the final supplementary story "Baculus the Centurion" is described as introduction to Cæsarish material.

My copy of "Latin for Beginners" has 348 pages whereas I count 426 in "Elements of Latin" (I say count because like some later works I've noticed, the Latin-English/English-Latin vocabulary pages are renumbered from page "1" instead of going straight through). From comparing the table of contents and actual contents in a couple of sections, coverage "seems" to be about the same overall with the following differences quickly noted:

- in the Beginners book, the topic "The Irregular Verbs volo, nolo malo" begins on page 164, Elements starts this topic on page 233. In both works this section is basically followed by the vocabulary reviews that wrap up the books (besides the "eo, fero, fio" irregular verb discussions).
- in Beginners, D'ooge mentions having "translate into Latin" exercises being only half as long as "translate into English" exercises. In Elements, both exercise sections found in the "Infinitive Used as in English" lessons appear to be of equal length.
- Elements has material that have no corresponding equivalent in Beginners such as the play "Perseus and Andromeda," a Latin Songs section and an "Original Stories" section for taking a stab at prose composition.
- Elements has a "Grammatical Appendix" covering declension of nouns, adjectives, pronouns, conjugation of regular and irregular verbs that is not exactly the same as the Beginners "Tables" section but close enough
- Elements has a separate word list for both first and second half years, each broken out into verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions
- the "Special Vocabularies" in Elements also has a "related words" column for increasing English vocabulary
- Elements also has a sample "Derivation Notebook" page and a list of common Latin abbreviations

Note that I'm in no way representing these as plusses or minuses - I don't have the experience base to legitimately claim whether Elements is a step up or step down from the Beginners book. However some folks may find the shorter, more frequent lessons appealing for various reasons. Any more questions or details required, just ask.

Regards,
Ron

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