Is wikipedia relaible?

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s.1
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Is wikipedia relaible?

Post by s.1 »

Greetings my fellow Latin/Greek Learners. I'm a newbie.
I'm trying to learn Latin from Wikipedia, Although I'm not sure if that site is reliable, seeing that people can access it and edit freely.
So, do you think that I should study elsewhere rather than Wikipedia, if it is unreliable that is? if so, then what sites do you recommend?

thanks,

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thesaurus
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Post by thesaurus »

The reliability of wikipedia depends on what you are using it for and the nature of the information. I would not rely on wikipedia for knowledge regarding something highly contested, or in an academic context. However, you're not really going to find people with an axe to grind about Latin grammar. So without having seen it I'd suppose that it is reliable.

More to the point, I recommend using one of the many freely available textbooks to learn Latin. Rather than reading grammar summaries, you should be learning it in a structured and pedagogic environment. There are many textbooks available to download on this website (D'Ooge, for example), and many modern ones to be purchased cheaply via Amazon.com or elsewhere.
Horae quidem cedunt et dies et menses et anni, nec praeteritum tempus umquam revertitur nec quid sequatur sciri potest. Quod cuique temporis ad vivendum datur, eo debet esse contentus. --Cicero, De Senectute

s.1
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:08 am

Post by s.1 »

Ok, thanks thesaurus I appreciate your response.

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benissimus
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Post by benissimus »

Moreover, and I assume it the article on Latin grammar that you are referring to, the article is merely a survey of some distinctive points of Latin grammar. It does not cover the entire Latin grammar or even all of what would be contained in a beginner's textbook.
flebile nescio quid queritur lyra, flebile lingua murmurat exanimis, respondent flebile ripae

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