I said new, not young. I have a life-long wish to learn both Latin and Greek (on the back-burner at the moment) so that I can understand more about the structure of modern European languages as well as the vocabulary of so many including English. My only resources are online as I live on a small island off a somewhat bigger island (Tasmania) off a very big island (Australia), so I need all the informational, resource and communal support I can get. I have almost finished the Duolingo Latin course which has been extremely useful, if of limited scope, and want to locate resources to enable me to continue my studies on my own. This site looks as though it will be extremely useful. My other interest is cultural. Having studied literature and history at university, and read voraciously all my life, I have always wanted to learn the languages which underpin so much of western literature, and about their cultures from within the languages themselves. Janet
Welcome to Textkit, Janet!
so that I can understand more about the structure of modern European languages as well as the vocabulary of so many including English
Welcome aboard, Janet! I hope your small island isn’t one of those expected to be swallowed up by rising sea levels.
May I ask, given your stated purpose for studying Latin and eventually Greek, if you also intend to read ancient works in the original (i.e., Latin or Greek)? Because of course there’s a big leap from learning the structure and fundamental vocabulary of Latin (to stick with that for now), which for your stated purpose will be very valuable, on the one hand, and developing the requisite fluency to actually tackle Vergil, Catullus, Cicero, etc., on the other. Which in turn could affect which resources for your post-Duolingo studies you choose or others recommend for you.
In either case, have a great time with it!
Randy Gibbons
Thanks for the welcome. I would of course love to be able to read Latin literature but have to be realistic about my chances of ever reaching the requisite standard to do so, on my own. For all its limitations, the Duolingo course has been particularly useful with all the drilling, and I am finding the sounds and patterns starting to settle in my ear. And of course, once you get the sounds going right you just want to go on and on. All I can say is, I’ll just wait and see.
Cheers, Janet