Why Latin? (Spinoff from Mythology in Latin)

[Keesa]

Did you guys learn latin just out of curiosity or is it related with your studies/jobs??<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Fulya <br /><br />I was actually learning Greek, to get a head start for college and to read Homer, but when I looked at all the great Latin resources, I couldn't pass it up! I love learning new languages, as I'm sure you'll realize when you look around the forum. <br /><br />Keesa

[Odysseus]

I started learning it as an interest thing, then decided to go to University and learn some more. Don't really have a reason I can verbalise as to why I'm learning it; I guess it's just because I like learning other languages.

[Magistra]

OK, this may be really weird. <br /><br />When I entered 9th grade, we had a choice of French or Latin. All the "stuck-up, in-crowd, classy people, haves (as opposed to have-nots)" (which I was far from) took French. Therefore, I did not. <br /><br />The fact that I didn't have to present "dialogues" in front of the class was a factor too.<br /><br />Hmmmm..... a strange decision by a 13-year-old has shaped a whole life. Wow -- freaky!<br /><br />Magistra

[Carola]

1) It's the basis for so many European languages<br />2) I never get over the feeling of awe at being able to "get into the mind" of someone who lived maybe 2000 years ago. The fact that I can laugh at Catullus' poem about his invitation to dinner (where you have to bring your own because he's broke!) makes me feel as though I know him. Latin played such a big part in literature and scientific writing for about 1500 years - I doubt if I could read the amount of stuff written in my lifetime. <br />3) It keeps my aged brain ticking over well (use it or lose it)

[bingley]

When I started my secondary education (age 12), everyone had to take Latin and French in the first year. It turned out I was good at Latin, so I was put in the language stream. In the second year everyone in my class took Latin and French, plus one other language. We had the choice of German, Russian, or Greek. I chose Greek.

[Keesa]

[quote author=bingley link=board=3;threadid=428;start=0#3408 date=1060561755]<br />In the second year everyone in my class took Latin and French, plus one other language. <br />[/quote]<br /><br />Do you speak French also, then? <br /><br />Keesa

[bingley]

Then yes. Not now. Use it or lose it. :'(<br /><br />If I really have to I can still read French.

[benissimus]

Latin first appealed to me very much simply because it was a mysterious (almost arcane) subject and no one whom I knew was a speaker of it. I now know that it is far from the ominous, foreboding tongue which movies often portray it as, or the drab and dull, trivially complex one which certain old people recall. I love Latin now for its innate beauty, complexity, rich literature, and the semi-divine era of enlightenment which it represents.

[mariek]

<br />There are lots of sites with info on why you should learn Latin. Here are just a few...<br /><br />Why Study Latin?<br />http://www.promotelatin.org/whylatin.htm<br /><br />http://www.promotelatin.org/latin.htm<br />Lots of neat info on this page, plus links to other pages and sites.<br />I thought the "Harry Potter Knows Latin!" PDF file was cute. Though it didn't mention anything about the Alohamora spell.<br /><br />Why Study Greek?<br />http://www.promotelatin.org/greek.htm<br /><br />Why Study Latin? - Top10 Reasons to Study Classics<br />http://www.ravenna.portage.k12.oh.us/Schools/rhs/classrooms/rlarson/parents.htm<br /><br />Why Your Kids Should Learn Latin (on About.Com)<br />http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa031798a.htm<br /><br />

[mariek]

<br />My husband and I were confabulating about languages one day and the conversation eventually turned to Latin and about how it would be very interesting to learn it. So I casually looked into learning Latin, eventually stumbled onto this website, and the rest is history. Of course I had imagined we would both study Latin together, and I am still nudging him about starting it. His response is always, "I never thought you'd act on it so soon!" I truly wished I had picked up Latin earlier; it would have been a tremendous help to my SAT verbal scores. <br /><br />

[Fulya]

and i started to learn it out of my ignorance!!! my mother is an art historian and we had to go around a lot in turkey to see the classical sites..<br /><br />i thought the writings in ephesus, afrodisias etc were in latin and i am mad about those places so i took latin but they turned out to be classical greek - which i will learn.. <br /><br />Keesa,<br /><br />i presume if you opened a french text and started to read it you would understand 60% of it without having ever studied it!!! I went to a french highschol and i never had to really study latin until the end of latin1 course..

[ingrid70]

[quote author=Magistra link=board=3;threadid=428;start=0#3396 date=1060555514]<br />OK, this may be really weird. <br /><br />When I entered 9th grade, we had a choice of French or Latin. All the "stuck-up, in-crowd, classy people, haves (as opposed to have-nots)" (which I was far from) took French. Therefore, I did not. <br /><br />The fact that I didn't have to present "dialogues" in front of the class was a factor too.<br /><br />Hmmmm..... a strange decision by a 13-year-old has shaped a whole life. Wow -- freaky!<br /><br />Magistra<br />[/quote]<br /><br />ALmost the same here: to get away from the >:( class I was in, I worked hard on my languages to get into the 'gymnasium' department as the only one of my class. That meant that I had to do Latin, although I dropped it after 3 years, which I still regret; and I didn't take Greek although I could have, which is another source of regret. Ah, well, how are you to know how your life will be at the age of 13?<br /><br />Anyway, I did like Latin, so I decided to take it up again later on my own...again and again...and now again...There will be a day that I can actually read Caesar again .<br /><br />Ingrid

[vinobrien]

In the middle of my life's path I found myself regularly on trains and planes having finished the Daily Telegraph crossword and staring out of the window. Then a friend told me to try Open University Latin... My wife now describes herself as a classics widow and the children think I'm obsessive about reading Greek but I don't stare out of those windows any more.

[Nihil]

I chose to study Latin because I love languages. I love languages, not just for the ability to read good literature in them and for the ability to converse with people of foreign culture, but also because I have been fascinated by grammar, morphology, semantics, etc. for a while. The structure of languages fascinates me, and it's fun for me to see how each expresses differently ideas.

[Keesa]

I do, too! <br /><br />I remember when I first learned that words (say, French words, for example) stood, not for other words (English words, in my case), but for concepts...it simplified the entire learning experience when I finally got it through my head that not every word in French was going to have an exact equivalent in English. <br /><br />Keesa

[Episcopus]

Some of you guys are lucky truckers having had Latin as an option in school! <br /><br />Incidentally, although French in other countries be considered fashionable, here in Wales it is nothing but queer to have a French accent; or, indeed, to want to learn another language. <br />But who ever cared about nuts 99% population here ;D<br /><br />Latin increases intelligence. Simple. I can feel it. Already and I suck at Latin. <br /><br />Latin...I really can not say that I be impressed by the great literature - I am ignorant and think them all to be mere weird guys. I want to live in the Vatican City and somehow be the Pope. I wish that I might remove the Welsh language in schools here to be replaced by Latin. That certainly without any doubts, would increase the intelligence of the new generation and keep young minds tolerant and logical yet full of imagination, linguistic and cultural awareness. <br />Currently, the pinnacle of the average young person's creativity is sending a home-made picture message of a bishop to her friends. <br /><br />Latin is the language of the learned. One day I hope that I will be able to write all this in Latin instead of English. I want Latin to be a spoken language; I want it to be the language of the world to make people less stupid (and more how I described above). Nobody would bomb other people or at least one would be able to pronounce the poor country's name.<br /><br />Also I be going to Oxford so Latin is necessary and I wish to speak Latin to whomever is able to do so. In Oxford University the latin speakers: wiener ratio must be relatively high. Not as high as the gun loving Michigan <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

[Milito]

I have to relate wanting to learn Latin to reading Asterix books. The characters kept using it, and I kept wanting to know why it meant what I was told it meant. I never got a chance, though, until I decided to chase a BA part time, and found some Latin courses, and decided to do something that I'd wondered about casually from time to time, and which had NO BEARING WHATSOEVER on work.<br /><br />So for a whole lot of totally impractical reasons, plus at least one whim, I took a couple Latin courses, and discovered I really, really, really like Latin, to put things mildly..... Now I'm carrying on with it as much as possible, and am doing as much reading as I can to keep up/raise the vocab, and I really hope that I can someday study/work in Classics full time. Hopefully Greek, when I get back into it will be as infectious..... <br /><br />Kilmeny

[vinobrien]

As I recall, Episcope, Latin speakers were thin on the ground when I was at Oxford and the anoraks (known commonly as northern chemists) were ubiquitous. The only positive change should be that there are more women there now and, as a result, I can assure you that bad haircuts, terminal dandruff and calf length tweed trousers are less common than once. By the way, Latin has not been necessary for entry to Oxford for a few decades now.

[Episcopus]

[quote author=vinobrien link=board=3;threadid=428;start=15#3530 date=1060614292]<br />By the way, Latin has not been necessary for entry to Oxford for a few decades now.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />I meant it not thus - "relatively" insterted I for in Wales I have not met a Latin speaker nor have I met even a student of Latin.<br /><br />Everyone seems to be going to Oxford. I am easily capable of doing so, it is not hard; but in light of this new information regarding the lack of Latin - oriented peepz, I feel myself to be about to reconsider. A 3-4 year course in the same unpleasant town seems to be a waste of life. And Episcopus never wants to be the same, doesn't want to be an arrogant person, just wants to speak Latinses; Vatican City straightaway it is then. vinobrien perhaps in new thread start something on Oxford: do tell of your experience! Unless I be mistaken and you never went thence <br />Raya, for example, is doing a full A-Level Ancient Greek course by May in order to do the course that she wants to faire.

[Keesa]

Yes, please, Vinobrien, start a new thread and tell us about Oxford! I want to study there so badly! What is it like?

[Lumen_et_umbra]

Latin isn't even offered in my school (being that I am still in High School), so it is definitely just a hobby for me. Latin, and other languages have always just been an interest of mine, and, so, about half a year ago, after having mastered Spanish, I decided that I wanted to learn something more challenging; thus, I bought Wheelock's Latin 6th Edition, and I have not looked back since. Incidentally, about a week ago, I picked up a book on ancient Greek and, serendipitously, found the Texkit website just yesterday. What convenience!

[mariek]

<br />Appears to be a good augury, don't you think?

[Lumen_et_umbra]

I would hope so! ;D

[Juggalo]

I'm try'n to learn before i get a job. I'm only 15 but it always helps to know latin I guess, and it would be cool to know. I wanna be a Theologist or something like that because eventhough i'm not all religous it still is kinda cool.

[Nihil]

[quote author=Keesa link=board=3;threadid=428;start=0#3498 date=1060602701]<br />I do, too! <br /><br />I remember when I first learned that words (say, French words, for example) stood, not for other words (English words, in my case), but for concepts...it simplified the entire learning experience when I finally got it through my head that not every word in French was going to have an exact equivalent in English. <br /><br />Keesa<br />[/quote]<br /><br />I know what you mean. I learned that the best way to become fluent in a language was to relate the words directly to the concepts for which they name -- rather than to translate them in my head. Also, as you said, some words don't have an equivalent. I'm trying to do this in Latin. One thing I'm doing is trying to create Latin sentences in my mind that describe mental images without thinking in English.<br /><br />Latin is a good way to sharpen verbal memory I find too. Memorizing all those declensions and verb endings helps a lot.

[klewlis]

[quote author=Sanctum Angelum link=board=3;threadid=428;start=15#3753 date=1060743132]<br />I'm try'n to learn before i get a job. I'm only 15 but it always helps to know latin I guess, and it would be cool to know. I wanna be a Theologist or something like that because eventhough i'm not all religous it still is kinda cool.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />I believe you mean "theologian" ;)<br /><br />(my BA is Theology :)<br /><br />and while I'm here, my interest in latin started way back in grade school where we had to memorize greek and latin roots until we were so incredibly sick of them that we never wanted to look at them again... so of course I took greek (koine) in college and then after that decided to tackle latin...