Hey everyone, I have studied Classical Greek for about the last year or so, and am interested in picking up Latin at a slower pace, over the next year. I was wondering what you guys and gals might recommend as the best beginner’s Latin Textbook? I have enjoyed the Athenaze textbook for Greek (if anyone is familiar with it), and am wondering if the Oxford Latin Course is a worthy investment? I have purchased prematurely a copy of Wheelock’s Latin, but have heard only bad things about it since I purchased it. Please any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
John
Wheelock’s Latin is a great book, though it’s not perfect. I doubt any book is. It is designed for a first-year latin course, though I think some people slam it because they want it to be more than that. A great thing about this book, if you are studying on your own, is that there is an answer key for all of the exercises here on textkit.
The first book in Lingua Latina is a great read for learning Latin, too, but personally I think it needs to be supplemented with a book like Wheelock’s. My recommendation would be to keep your Wheelock’s and just get started. When you want to take a short break, read from Lingua Latina.
I have used Wheelock’s Latin, all of the Oxford Latin Course (except the reader), and Latin: An Intensive Course, so I think I have a pretty good idea what I am talking about when it comes to those.
I would advise against using the Oxford Latin Course ([u]I[/u], [u]II[/u], [u]III[/u], [u]reader[/u]) as your only text. The book avoids grammar (for the most part you just read stories and memorize vocab), which is a waste if you already know grammar via studying Greek. You will certainly have a slow pace if you use it, but I would never recommend using that series as anything other than a supplement. It is slower than even Athenaze. Also, many people can’t stand the illustrations inside, though I didn’t mind them so much. I will confess that the historical/cultural information in the books is above the level of most textbooks… I really wouldn’t call it a textbook though. You might be able to read after finishing all the books, but I doubt you could write a thing for youself if you used no other text, not without extensive further study.
As for the faults of Wheelock’s Latin, critics tend to emphasize the faults. If you would mention your specific concerns, I might be able to assuage them; I will certainly confess the book has faults, but not any worse than other textbooks. It certainly cannot be said that Wheelock’s Latin cannot teach you Latin, since many have learned from it quite well, myself included.
I like [u]Wheelock’s Latin[/u]. I also like Moreland & Fleischer’s [u]Latin: An Intensive Course[/u], but being an intensive course it doesn’t seem to fit your request. Sidwell’s Reading Latin ([u]text[/u] and [u]companion[/u]) is very highly praised, but I have not had opportunity to use it, and I don’t know how intensive it is. I recommend that you read the user reviews on the books before you make your decision.
Allow me to second the call for Lingua Latina — however, no other text is needed; with your Greek experience, you don’t need to be told what a case is or the like as an unpleasant textbook would pedantically do. Go for Lingua Latina, on its own. This also might be helpful:
I like > Wheelock’s Latin> .
I second (or third) the endorsement of Wheelock. For someone who is an autodidact, and has a knowledge of Greek, I think you would find it a good fit. As has also been pointed out on these boards, there is a plethora of supplamental material, exercises, etc. available [u]here[/u]
Fr. Pavur has done a tremendous service to everyone using Wheelock’s. Need some practice on passive forms? He’s got a drill of over 400 verb conjugations to practice on. The combination of Wheelock’s with Prof. Pavur’s exercises will have you understanding Latin, if you are willing to do the headbanging. Also, read, read, read.