Below is the method I am going about learning Latin. I know a lot of people recommend the Lingua Latina series, and I may turn to those texts if I get discouraged with my current method. Any comments or suggestions on learning Latin *on one's own* would be appreciated.
I would like to read Roman and medieval philosophy, history, poetry and drama in the original. I have a lot of free time to dedicate--at least 2 hours everyday and probably averaging more.
I am currently going through the Dowling method to learn conjugations and declensions. To make the exercises less repetitive, I'm using it as an opportunity to learn vocabulary as well. I have sometimes used a little program called Lingua Latina (not the book!) that tests noun and adj declensions and verb conjugations. It's good for fast typers and helps make sure the forms are understood before copying the paradigms dozens of times.
I am using the Moreland and Fleischer book, and find it a great text. I have a copy of Wheelock, but have no reason to use the text. There is much more online help geared toward Wheelock, which makes the text slightly more desirable in terms of self-study. However, it seems Moreland and Fleischer expect a dedicated student, while Wheelock's in particular expects much less from the reader.
I am using the proverbs provided by Professor Laura Gibbs. She keeps an updated webpage of proverbs, but for the most part I use the older site--this one is keyed to the Moreland and Fleischer chapters and provides a lot more practice. (webpage for Proverbs for M&F: http://www.mythfolklore.net/proverbs/ )
The M&F text also gives a number of Catullus poems that can be taught in conjunction with certain chapters. Looking ahead, I am making vocabulary lists so that when I approach these poems, I will be familiar with the vocabular already. I am unable to look at the original Catullus and tell the word or verb I am looking at (still on the first 4 chapters of M&F), so I use a program called Words to find the definition and part of speech (homepage: http://users.erols.com/whitaker/words.htm )
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Any suggestions on what to do along with this approach? For example, I'm sure my accent is terrible and it is so difficult for me to read 20 pages on pronouciation techniques. My goal is to read it anyway, so should I worry about this?
Is there anything that can be read, in the original, along with the Moreland and Fleischer or right after completing the text? As previously mentioned, I have Catullus complete poems, and a handful have been selected to read along with the text already. It is supplementary material like this that I am seeking.
Thanks everyone.
