I started learning Latin–the language of the Ancient Romans–in third grade. I didn’t stop until I had graduated with a degree in Classical Studies; after that I taught Latin at a private classical school. Now that I have littles of my own, I teach Latin online.
Latin is a marvelously useful language. It gave us all the Romance languages: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian are just a few. Countless historical documents, particularly religious or scientific ones, have been written in Latin, and it is the official language of the Vatican even today. Biological and medical sciences depend heavily upon Latin terminology and derivatives, and much classical and sacred music employ Latin for vocal compositions–including the main theme fromΒ Super Smash Brothers Brawl, a massively popular video game. And everyday English itself includes thousands of Latin derivatives, so studying Latin can provide a huge boost to your working vocabulary.
Added to all this, Latin is an incredibly straightforward and regimented language, befitting its Roman origins. The grammar breaks down quite cleanly into distinct forms and categories, and once you have a basic grasp of the grammar, translating sentences becomes as methodical as solving an arithmetical equation. So this is a language that can actually sharpen math, formal reasoning, and critical thinking skills, in addition to all the other benefits I’ve listed!
You might be starting to see why I love this language so much, and why I’m eager to share that love with others. π
Right now I have a number of different Latin courses up on Luma Learn, an online marketplace of independent teachers, including a FREE self-directed study that you can sign up for at any time: How to Speak Latin. There are absolutely no strings attached. You do have to register on the site in order to access the LMS (Learning Management System) where I’ve provided all the course materials, but it doesn’t subscribe you to anything, require a credit card–nada. Perfectly free.
If you like that, or if you just want a little more interaction+a more involved introduction to the language, I also offer Latin Camp: two weeks of intensive, FUN study. All materials are included, and by the end of camp students have learned 50 vocabulary words, 5 grammar paradigms, over 40 English derivatives, and basic sentence translation. At only $60 per camp, this is a steal!!
Finally, I offer Latin 1 and Latin 2: full year-long courses designed for grade and high school students. I use the critically acclaimed Memoria Press curriculum for these, but I offer Latin 1 and 2 at significantly lower rates than either Memoria Press Online Academy OR Classical Academic Press’s online courses (the two leading competitors in the business). The material I cover is the same (or, in the case of CAP, significantly more substantial!), and several years ago I actually had the privilege of working for Cheryl Lowe, founder of Memoria Press and creator of their Latina Christiana curriculum, at the Highlands Latin School. So, when you sign up for Latin with me, you’re getting Memoria Press talent at a fraction of the price. π
Interested? Just curious? Have a random Latin question? Leave a comment below or send me a message using my contact form, and I’ll be happy to answer–or just talk Latin with you!
Have a random Latin question?
OK, I’ll bite π
I’ve got this campaign running to try to get ‘homo sapiens sapiens’ (the wise, thinking man) renamed, because what we’ve evolved into is clearly anything other than ‘wise’ or ‘thinking’.
I came up with ‘homo fatuus brutus’ which I believe to mean ‘the foolish, stupid man’. My question to you is: am I deluding myself? (About the translation, that is, not that humanity is bent on self-destruction!)
Happy blogging!
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Ha ha! Alright then… your translation is accurate, as far as I can tell. However, for the sake of aesthetic, since “fatuus” is a rather uncommon word, and “brutus” is less specifically “stupid” and more like “dull-witted” or even “inert,” I might reverse the order: “homo brutus fatuus.” It rolls of the tongue a bit easier, and “fatuus” then provides clarity to “brutus.” But that’s only thinking of the English presets in the back of our minds; Latin doesn’t actually care about word order so much. π Thanks for dropping by!
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Thanks very much for the confirmation. Unfortunately, switching the word order at this point would be problematic, since Google already recognises ‘homo fatuus brutus’: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=homo+fatuus+brutus
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Aw, oh well then. π
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Brennan Manning put me on to Augustine’s “Quia Amaste Me… “https://rhfoerger.wordpress.com/2015/07/24/quia-amaste-me/
For your pleasure.
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Oooh, thank you! Sorry it’s taken me so long to get to this, but I appreciate it!
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