Fr. Reginald Foster 1939-2020

Textkit Community Open Board
1

On Christmas morning Fr. Reginald Foster, the famous Latinist, died. I had the distinct and exhilarating honor of visiting him twice. R.I.P.

2

Sad news.

I see from the link you gave above that the second book of his series is to be published shortly.

Cheers, Chad

3

Thanks for passing on the news bedwere. What a lovely time for him to go. I never met him but I know he was a truly extraordinary man and a truly extraordinary teacher, and uniquely good at using Ciceronian Latin in the service of your Church and beyond. Can anyone replace him?

4

My condolences to those who know him and to those who were influenced by his works.

5

Margalit Fox’s obit for Fr. Reginald Foster is worth a read:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/27/obituaries/reginald-foster-vatican-latinist-who-tweeted-in-the-language-dies-at-81.html

6

There was a nice piece on Radio 4’s obituary programme Last Word including some audio from interviews with him - he comes across as wonderfully humane.

From 20:10 here
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000r5p5

7

Hi all, it looks like Foster’s work on Cicero’s letters is now available: I checked in here today and it’s no longer saying “not yet published”.

https://www.cuapress.org/9780813232973/ossium-carnes-multae-e-marci-tullii-ciceronis-epistulis/

Background about the book here (including Foster describing it in Latin):
https://thelatinlanguage.org/ossium/

Cheers, Chad

8

Thanks for the links, Chad.
While checking them out I found another book relying on Foster’s teaching method is scheduled to be published in July:

https://www.cuapress.org/9781949822083/ossa-ostensa/

From the book’s description:

OSSA OSTENSA is the world’s first comprehensive example of how to teach and learn the Latin language using the unique teaching system of the internationally recognized authority Reginald Foster. Laura Pooley – prize-winning graduate of the University of Oxford and currently a supervisor at the University of Cambridge, brings to life the year she spent in Rome studying Latin with Reginaldus. His inspiring and transformative method of teaching combines with Laura’s twenty years of teaching experience to produce concise and crystal-clear explanations of the language.

9

Hi Ahab, good find, thank you! Another one to add to the watchlist. For Latin the main one I’m keeping an eye on is vol. 2 of the Oxford Latin Syntax, which may be out soon (or maybe not: these things slide…)

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-latin-syntax-9780199230563

Thanks again, Chad