Which Beginners Book from Textkit?

[mariek]

<br />I just noticed something about the site. <br /><br />If you click on Learn Latin (http://www.textkit.com/latin_grammar.php), it takes you to the main page enumerating downloadable books, categorized by "grammars" or "readers". <br /><br />Here's what I noticed... the Latin Grammars (http://www.textkit.com/latin-grammar.php) link on that page. It takes you to another page which helps you choose a book. There are two books listed as beginner level, and one as intermediate level. <br /><br />I wonder... if I had known about this Latin Grammars page, would I still be working through Benjamin L. D'Ooge's book? Or would I have downloaded the Collar and Daniell book instead? Hmmm... I guess we'll never know.<br /><br />So, I'm curious. Of the two, which one did you download and use?<br /><br />

[Nihil]

Well, as I mentioned before, I use Latin for Beginners by Benjaminn L. D'Ooge. It's a superb text, and I recommend it.

[benissimus]

I haven't yet read either, so I will abstain.

[mariek]

[quote author=benissimus link=board=3;threadid=388;start=0#3016 date=1060237182]<br />I haven't yet read either, so I will abstain.[/quote]<br /><br />Well, the thought had crossed my mind to include a "none of the above" option but decided against that. I was only interested in results of those who had downloaded one or the other. Besides, I didn't want to see results like this: D'Ooge 7%; Collar/Daniell 3%; Neither 90%. <br />

[ingrid70]

Hmm, I use both (I like different views on things...)<br /><br />Ingrid

[Keesa]

I am also using both. Both have good and not-so-good aspects. I'm sure you'll find plenty of people on the site to tell you what a wonderful book "Latin for Beginners" is, and how wonderful and excellent and marvelous and incredible Dr. D'Ooge is, so I'll refrain. Instead, I'll say that the Collar and Daniell book is really fun and easy, and I like it a lot. (I'm not saying that the same doesn't go for Latin for Beginners!) <br /><br />Also, reading the same rules twice really helps to fix them in my memory. Then, too, on any given day, the vocabulary is different, so you can learn twice as much, so...<br /><br />I can agree with not having a "neither" option, but maybe you should have a "both". (Although it might look funny without a "neither".) <br /><br />Anyway, my vote is "BOTH". ;D<br /><br />Keesa

[Milito]

[quote author=benissimus link=board=3;threadid=388;start=0#3016 date=1060237182]<br />I haven't yet read either, so I will abstain.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />Same here. But I have used D'Ooge as a reference to help me out with a couple sticky grammar queries. Frankly, because of the high level of D'Ooge exposure here, I'd quite forgotten that the other was there. I will have to check it out.....<br /><br />Kilmeny

[mariek]

[quote author=ingrid70 link=board=3;threadid=388;start=0#3022 date=1060247740]<br />Hmm, I use both (I like different views on things...) [/quote]<br /><br />I guess I'm not very good at creating these polls and including all possible answers. Both would be a good option, but I don't think I can change the poll?<br /><br />

[Episcopus]

This isn't even a poll - Dr. D'Ooge is probably laughing right now!

[Keesa]

[quote author=Episcopus link=board=3;threadid=388;start=0#3097 date=1060335514]<br />This isn't even a poll - Dr. D'Ooge is probably laughing right now! <br />[/quote]<br /><br />Hey, the Collar and Daniell book is good, too! <br /><br />With that said, perhaps we should move this to the Academy for debate...or maybe the gladiator's arena... ;D<br /><br />Keesa

[ingrid70]

I've now voted for Collar and Daniell, to show that there are people using the book . But I do use D'Ooge too.<br /><br />Ingrid

[Keesa]

[quote author=ingrid70 link=board=3;threadid=388;start=0#3295 date=1060499742]<br />I've now voted for Collar and Daniell, to show that there are people using the book . But I do use D'Ooge too.<br /><br />Ingrid<br />[/quote]<br /><br />I did the same. The Collar and Daniell book looked lonely! <br /><br />Keesa

[Episcopus]

Pity votes...carry on ;D

[Fulya]

though i wont vote i d like to tell you that we studied "oxford latin course" and i enjoyed studying it.. now i am making a repetition through charles e bennets book and i think it is good as well if you want to brush things..

[mariek]

[quote author=Fulya link=board=3;threadid=388;start=0#3354 date=1060539009]<br />now i am making a repetition through charles e bennets book and i think it is good as well if you want to brush things.. [/quote]<br /><br />Yes, I've heard that CEB makes a better reference book than a beginner's learning book. I've downloaded it but haven't referred to it much because I can't do searches in the PDF document. I'm slowly printing out BLD as I go forward through the book. My intention is to place them in a binder.<br /><br />I'm going to pick up the M&F book for my learning plus reference; and when I reach a more advanced level, I want to pick up the Gildersleeve grammar book. <br />

[Episcopus]

That C&D book is just not good! Read the introduction, intended for infants who have much ignorance of the grammar of English! College beginners will find it too simplified and juvenile. <br /><br />1st declension, declined thus: <br /><br />What a loser(please don't remove this). <br /><br />I have a sister of age 8; she is extremely bright and can grasp french pronunciation and grammar amazingly quickly - I enjoy talking to her as she doesn't be retarded like her twin brother with a badly strong welsh accent <br />But my sister would not know what to do if I were to slap this on her desk. She'd ask, what is a nominative, accusative, dative etc because no little kid knows that. <br /><br />Is this book intended to be followed by little pupils in a class with a teacher? It has to be - for my sister would understand if I explained everything to her. But then what would the book do?<br /><br />At least with B.L.D everything is explained properly, so that no teacher be needed.

[Fulya]

Hello Mariek,<br /><br />i would prefer the "oxford latin course" if i was a beginner... it has everything colors, explanations, glossary and everything.. then i would pass to the referance books here.. we in turkey never use the wheeloks latin course so i dont know that one but i think that these pdf files are not so very charming when you are a beginner.. i agree that CEB is very helpful as a referance book it does not go into very simplistic details, it is cut short and to the point.. <br /><br />i have downloaded the BLD as well, it is good for beginners in my opinion but i would not take the time to print it.. if you have begun to learn it becomes useless in short time..

[Keesa]

[quote author=Fulya link=board=3;threadid=388;start=15#3386 date=1060548802]<br />i have downloaded the BLD as well, it is good for beginners in my opinion but i would not take the time to print it.. if you have begun to learn it becomes useless in short time.. <br />[/quote]<br /><br />Be nice, Episcopus... ;D I'm sure no offence was meant to Dr. D'Ooge. <br /><br />Keesa

[Fulya]

hehe of course not!!!

[Episcopus]

[quote author=Fulya link=board=3;threadid=388;start=15#3386 date=1060548802]<br />i have downloaded the BLD as well, it is good for beginners in my opinion but i would not take the time to print it.. if you have begun to learn it becomes useless in short time.. <br />[/quote]<br /><br />It has pictures of gladiators' swords, yay! <br /><br />However there are 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 textbooks of about 300-400 pages each whereas Dr. B.L.D's book goes actually further than beginner's standard in the end. It would never be useless to anyone who has followed the Oxford course. <br /><br />At the beginning, remember, about 1 month ago I knew no Latin nor was I biased in any way towards Dr. Benjamin L. D'Ooge; I bought an Oxford and Cambridge Latin textbook before finding textkit and they gave me NOTHING. <br /><br />I wanted to learn Latin not look at pictures. <br /><br />In the end one would know every aspect of latin necessary to be able to complete a GCSE course but NOT without a living teacher.<br /><br />But I take no offence I disregard this comment. <br /><br />

[Fulya]

i am not a highclass snob who will despise the pictures.. i thought they were the part of fun to learn latin.. <br /><br />well i learned latin through it in a classroom with an instructor.. maybe it is not a good book if you are studying alone but i thought it is a very goodbook with a good workbook to learn latin when you are in a class with your boyfriend who looks like Quintus.. <br /><br />esp the third book of the series had a lot of texts to read, and lesser pictures (if you really really think they will curb your way if you look at them when you are trying to learn latin), and also there was information for people who dont have a basic knowledge of roman empire etc... <br /><br />i am happy that i learned through it and i am happy that i studied all the 3 books!!!<br /><br />maybe the BLD is good for the very beginners who study alone but if you have studied latin as much as i did it is very simplistic.. if a person has some knowledge of latin then i believe CEB book is better for repetition purposes...

[Episcopus]

[quote author=Fulya link=board=3;threadid=388;start=15#3542 date=1060616621]<br />i am not a highclass snob who will despise the pictures[/quote]<br /><br />minime! non habet episcopus copiam pecuniam. latine saepe scribere non possum, ex armenia autem venio: laboro cum diligentia et mox a Dr. B.L.D linguam latinam docebor. doceri picturis pulchris est ridiculum. <br /><br />liber CEB est putridus moribundusque<br /><br />

[Keesa]

[quote author=Fulya link=board=3;threadid=388;start=15#3542 date=1060616621]<br />well i learned latin through it in a classroom with an instructor.. maybe it is not a good book if you are studying alone but i thought it is a very goodbook with a good workbook to learn latin when you are in a class with your boyfriend who looks like Quintus.. <br />[/quote]<br /><br />Yes, but what about those of us here who are beginners with little or no previous experience with Latin, who don't have access to Latin classes and who don't have boyfriends that look like Quintus? For us, would you recommend this book? <br /><br />Keesa