Learning Latin

[Douglas]

Instead of wasting your time trying to find a Latin class you should be working on tracking down a nice looking young lady with an interest in Greek.

 

[Biscotti]

All I remember from 2.5 years of Latin is that panis is their word for bread. MMMMMMMM panis!

 

[Chouse]

Originally Posted by P-K-L

I do not think so. As Nantucket Red said, Latin really helps understanding the structure and a lot of words in other languages - especially French, Spanish and Italian.

Agreed. However costs far outweigh the benefits here! You are better off learning one of the aforementioned languages properly.

Latin is a neat language and certainly has a novelty factor to it but - as others have said - it will take a lot of time and dedication to be able to read any of the more complex Latin texts.

 

[odoreater]

Learning Latin was a complete waste of time.

 

[jaydc7]

I took four years of Greek in high school. It taught me more about English than any of my awful teachers did up to that point.

 

[Connemara]

I think Latin still sells in high schools because teachers all repeat the "It will help you score high on your SATs!" and "It will give you a huge edge in med/law school!" nonsense.

I wish I'd taken German or French to be honest.

 

[odoreater]

The help you get in understanding English grammer from learning Latin is marginal compared to the help you would get in life from knowing a language that is actually useful.

 

[Nantucket Red]

Mea navis aëricumbens anguillis abundat!

 

[yachtie]

Originally Posted by Douglas

. Catullus is pretty interesting, however.


Not as interesting as Suetonius.

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by odoreater

The help you get in understanding English grammer from learning Latin is marginal compared to the help you would get in life from knowing a language that is actually useful.

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Nobody said it helps with spelling.

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by odoreater

Nobody said it helps with spelling.

I know the difference Jersey boy.

 

[hamish5178]

I am on my third year of high school Latin (though I'm graduating this year), it was a waste of time.

I excell in english/lit/composition, and have always had a very well developed vocabulary, I have seen little to no benefit from Latin in that regard.

Also, learning a language you can't speak, unless you specifically want to read something, is a silly thing to do. If you want to feign sophistication, learn Greek.

 

[JLibourel]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

+1
What JLib neglected to mention is that he has a phd in classics from oxford, so his latin is probably a lot better than most.

Correction: I have a Ph.D. in history from UCLA. Oxford, BTW, does not grant a "Ph.D." properly speaking. They call it a "D.Phil." I did read Greats as a senior student at Balliol. I had no instruction in the Latin language at Oxford. They just assumed you knew it by then.

And he's an old guy, so he has time to do things like re-read The Aeneid and Homeric epics (which are greek) in his considerable free time.

I'm still working full-time, same as a most of you. Have thought of retiring soon, but lately I have been reconsidering and may keep plugging along for awhile longer at the job.

It's kind of funny. I have been so immersed in the classical languages lately that I almost feel guilty reading anything in English, no matter how edifying--I rather liken reading English to watching trash television!

Oh, and I should be up to the suicide of "infelix Dido" in the Aeneid by tomorrow night.

 

[odoreater]

I read the Aeneid in Latin. I don't see why it's a big deal.