Latin in Schools

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hartleymartin

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What do you think about teaching Latin in schools?

Some have criticised the idea on the grounds that Latin is a “dead” language. However, anyone who knows anything about language will tell you that Latin is the root of most western languages. Thus, if you have a knowledge of Latin, there are several languages which will be much easier to learn, and it will also broaden your vocabulary.

I think that during the latter part of the 20th Century, education has been progressively dumbed down in order to get more students to apparently achieve high marks in exam results. During my school years (1991-2003) I never learned any English Grammar, I did not learn anything about essay writing until 9th and 10th Grades.

Perhaps it is a question of greater need for overall reform in education.
 
hartleymartin said:
What do you think about teaching Latin in schools?

Some have criticised the idea on the grounds that Latin is a “dead” language. However, anyone who knows anything about language will tell you that Latin is the root of most western languages. Thus, if you have a knowledge of Latin, there are several languages which will be much easier to learn, and it will also broaden your vocabulary.

I think that during the latter part of the 20th Century, education has been progressively dumbed down in order to get more students to apparently achieve high marks in exam results. During my school years (1991-2003) I never learned any English Grammar, I did not learn anything about essay writing until 9th and 10th Grades.

Perhaps it is a question of greater need for overall reform in education.
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Good choice of a word: progressive(ly).

I’m all for Latin.

It forces you to learn not only spelling, but also grammar: for example, you learn the difference between “If I knew…” and “If I had known…” (which the majority of people these days get wrong.) (And German would also teach that example)

Latin also helps you figure out words in English that you’ve never encountered before, because you can break them down into their Latin components. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve been able to do just that.
 
I am all for it, too! Grammar has been pushed out the door since the 20th century! Though, it is all according to where one lives, because grammar rules can vary in the English language…from place to place.
 
My son is taking Latin right now (7th grade) as an elective, says he likes it, and we’re very happy with him.

We recommended that he take it for the very reasons the above commenter said.
 
Does Latin help your SAT scores? The answer is a definitive Yes!

The mean Verbal SAT scores for 2002 were:

All students: 504

Latin: 666

Spanish: 581

French: 637

German: 622

But there’s more to studying Latin than SAT Scores!

Latin Develops a Person’s English

Other reasons:

summitcds.org/ashcraft/why_take_latin.htm
 
hartleymartin said:
What do you think about teaching Latin in schools?

Some have criticised the idea on the grounds that Latin is a “dead” language. However, anyone who knows anything about language will tell you that Latin is the root of most western languages. Thus, if you have a knowledge of Latin, there are several languages which will be much easier to learn, and it will also broaden your vocabulary.

I think that during the latter part of the 20th Century, education has been progressively dumbed down in order to get more students to apparently achieve high marks in exam results. During my school years (1991-2003) I never learned any English Grammar, I did not learn anything about essay writing until 9th and 10th Grades.

Perhaps it is a question of greater need for overall reform in education.
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Hello!
It will also help you solve the N.Y. Times crossword puzzles
especially on Fridays and Saturdays!

Dante:)
 
ProVobis said:
Latin Develops a Person’s English
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Ditto for French. Latin should be restored to the curriculum. By 1971 when I started high school it was already gone. I wish I had learned it. It used to be an important component of any classical education.
 
Any child brought up in a tradition of his own native language, along with Latin and some third language, will very likely become well-read. This is the nature of the human soul which God created to manifest His glory. We still retain the fact of our childhood under God, even if we are crippled! That logic which He sculpted into us has a good foundation, and cannot sink.

Latin has been of singular help to me, especially when it comes to understanding foreign languages (and even English). As an example, I might see the Latin word “gratias” (thanks be), learn through education that it formed the Italian word “grazzi” (thank you), and thus the English words “gracious” and “grace”, having to do with gifts and gratefulness. Knowing the roots of words helps us to understand everything about them, and grasp the core of their actual philological meaning. Language is so inestimably powerful… Deo gratias!

Remember that Latin officially became ‘defunct’ in society when Austria finally got rid of it as a Lingua Franca in the 1850’s. It is a good language for the Mass, since it can no longer change or be added to (effectively), but there is more power in it than mere religion. Latin is a very beautiful language, after all! What a shame that liberals have decided it is simply too old-fashioned to exist academically, it being associated with conservatism and haughtiness.
 
My son just started high school and he picked Latin over Spanish and he loves it. It also helps him to better understand and use the finesses of the English grammar. However, he goes to a diocesan Catholic high school and not to a public one.
 
hartleymartin said:
What do you think about teaching Latin in schools?

Some have criticised the idea on the grounds that Latin is a “dead” language. However, anyone who knows anything about language will tell you that Latin is the root of most western languages. Thus, if you have a knowledge of Latin, there are several languages which will be much easier to learn, and it will also broaden your vocabulary.

I think that during the latter part of the 20th Century, education has been progressively dumbed down in order to get more students to apparently achieve high marks in exam results. During my school years (1991-2003) I never learned any English Grammar, I did not learn anything about essay writing until 9th and 10th Grades.

Perhaps it is a question of greater need for overall reform in education.
Click to expand...
I agree. I am 55 years old and went all the way through Catholic School. When I started High school in 1969, this was the first year Latin was not mandatory. You were required before to have at least 2 years. Of course, I remember learning some in grammar school here and there and also when I became an altar boy in 1963. The Mass back then was only in Latin. After the Mass began to be said in English, Latin began to wane in Catholic Schools. I wish I could have mastered Latin. 60% of all English words come from Latin. My mother learned Latin in public high school. That’s hard to believe today but it was required back then. Hopefully, with the Latin Mass coming back, we will see some kind of revival in Latin.
 
It’s good to know that there is some support for it. I intend to take it as part of my study at Campion College next year (Australia has only one Catholic Liberal Arts college).

Latin was offered at my High School, but I was steerer away from it and encouraged to take French (which I did only during Year 8 as was compulsory) because my mother believed that I could do well in French, because she also spoke French (with a heavy Vietnamese accent). However, my mother wasn’t exactly a good tutor.

Google Translate now does Latin and also has a sound recording of the words. I use it to check up on the translation of certain phrases. I like to collect phrases or wise sayings in Latin. My latest one:

Theologia sit scientia regina.
 
James224 said:
My mother learned Latin in public high school. That’s hard to believe today but it was required back then.
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High schools usually take their cues from colleges and universities. I myself studied Latin at a state university in the late 60’s and the classes were well-attended. Then a lot of new majors (political science, black history, et al) came to the forefront, gradually replacing the classics. But then math and science were taking beatings too as many jobs and PHDs were leaving the U.S. So with declining need for translators (or so they thought) Latin had become an unmarketable commodity. One can only hope that that will change, even if gradually.
 
I would mandate at least a year of Latin for all Catholic high school student, were I bishop. One could write a very good one-year course that looks at the history of the importance of the Latin language and a rudimentary lesson on Latin prayers.
 
hartleymartin said:
According to the translator I used “Theology is the queen of the sciences” - I’m going to have to consult some other Latin sources to get that one right.
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See, all you have to do is to scramble the word order a little. It’s an English problem. 🙂
 
“sit” is subjunctive: “May it be.” Otherwise, it would be “theologia est …”
 
PKinsale said:
“sit” is subjunctive: “May it be.” Otherwise, it would be “theologia est …”
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Right, and scientia needs to be declined into the genitive plural.

The problem is not the word order; in fact, for these four words practically any order would still produce an understandable sentence.
 
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