I’ve been trying to teach myself Latin for about 6 weeks so far. I think my progress is ok…I can (slowly) read the first two paragraphs of Caesar’s De Bello Gallico and understand most of it(although I did wonder why he suddenly changed from talking about how Gaul was divided up, to talking about some wife of Sequana Division …I guess I thought he must have been really taken with her . The Matrona River threw me waayyy off-course and I never found my way back.)
Anyway, I’m using a variety of methods…flashcards, textbooks, an online course, and reading actual latin text then learning the words I didn’t understand or mistranslated in the passage. I’m having trouble with nom., gen. abl. decl. etc, simply because I was never taught them under those terms in school, so I’m going to have to learn the grammar terms before I can really get into the textbook.
The textbook I’m using is ‘The New Latin Primer’ by J.P Postgate, M.A., Litt’D. and was published in 1888, my edition is 1911. My Dictionary is Gepp and Haigh’s Lat-Eng Dictionary, my edition 1912. I had tremendous difficulty in getting hold of them, eventually finding them in a secondhand/‘antique’ store. They’re in incredibly good condition.
I’m currently doing 1 hour - 1 and a half hours of study a day, every day, even if I feel unmotivated.
So does anyone have any ideas/tips about other strategies I should be using? My ultimate goal is to be able to read and write latin with a good degree of confidence and fluency, and I’m willing to put the time and effort into it. I know this will take me many years of consistant study(if I ever do manage to attain such a degree of fluency), but to me it’s worth it.
I’ve been using the D’ooge book available on this site and it seems pretty good (I have nothing to compare it to, however), I had never even heard of dative and ablative, etc. prior to starting. Now I feel pretty comfortable so I would say it explains things pretty well, even for a beginner (though I’m now suffering from ‘subjunctivitis’, LOL, but I’m blaming that on the holidays and poor study habits) I don’t know the textbook you have, but I would assume it would help you in understanding the different terms. Instead of flashcards, I’ve made my own verb/noun charts to print out, -color-coordinated even (I find spending stupid amounts of time aesthetics helps me remember things)
how does your online course work? do you do exercises? Is there a moderator who helps out, or is everyone a beginner? Just wondering.
I personally have a copy of Bennett’s “New Latin Grammar” and I think it is a decent reference and can clear some things up. However, some others I’ve talked to don’t like that particular grammar.
I’ve taken about 2 years of latin in college however, so I’m not familiar with the teaching onself part…
I’ve downloaded this and have just completed the second lesson. At this early level it’s clear and explains things well for me, so I think I’ll make this my main textbook.
http://www.cherryh.com/www/latin1.htm is what I have been using. It’s unconventional in it’s style and has only 10 lessons, with no feedback or exercises. However I’ve found it a good unintimidating start point, although it doesn’t take one very far(the author appears to have abandoned it mid course).
I would mention that a nice Starbuck’s latte always enhances one’s ability to study and learn. A cup of tea will also suffice with some jazz music in the background.
Strange, but true. When I got to grad school, I had a class that mentioned stuff like this for building good study habits.
…I guess I thought he must have been really taken with her 
. The Matrona River threw me waayyy off-course and I never found my way back.)