Learning Latin

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lux_et_veritas
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

Lux_et_veritas

Guest
I’ve been attending Latin Mass and for whatever reason, I like it. I’m 42 and have wanted to learn Latin since I was 16 and tried to self-teach myself (but the book wasnn’t written for self learning). And I was born at the time of Vatican 2 and never heard Latin, per se.

I want to know if anyone has knowledge of a good self-teaching Latin book. It’s one thing to pray in Latin. It’s even better to understand what you’re praying. It’s funny how much I do understand just by association with the prayers in English. But I want to go further.

Go figure :whacky: - Why would I be interested in Latin?
 
Henle, Latin by Loyola Press
amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-0878219-4711816

Buy the “Grammar” supplement and “First Year Latin” volume. They are used together. The “Grammar” works for several years.

This set is much easier than Wheelock and used by many homeschoolers. Its Catholic and its fun. Henle was a Jesuit and the first edition came out in 1945.

You will also need a good dictionary. If you can afford it, the ultimate dictionary for a lifetime of usage is by Lewis and Short. Sometimes, you can find it at a better price used.
amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0198642016/qid=1116643535/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-0878219-4711816?v=glance&s=books
 
Thanks for the leads people. I will look into them. And, if something is used for home-schooling, that is even better.
 
Darn! Your Loyala Press link comes up dead. Can you give me an ISBN number or a title and author?

Well, it’s only about $200 bucks for a latin dictionary. I think I’ll use the one online for free

:banghead:
 
40.png
Lux_et_veritas:
I’ve been attending Latin Mass and for whatever reason, I like it. I’m 42 and have wanted to learn Latin since I was 16 and tried to self-teach myself (but the book wasnn’t written for self learning). And I was born at the time of Vatican 2 and never heard Latin, per se.

I want to know if anyone has knowledge of a good self-teaching Latin book. It’s one thing to pray in Latin. It’s even better to understand what you’re praying. It’s funny how much I do understand just by association with the prayers in English. But I want to go further.

Go figure :whacky: - Why would I be interested in Latin?
Click to expand...
A good book for learning Ecclesiastical Latin (which is slightly different than the classical Latin found in most texts) is “A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin” by John F. Collins. Many seminaries use it as the principle Latin text. My only complaint is that there is no way to check answers to the exercises.

amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0813206677/qid=1116644944/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-5695339-2983936?v=glance&s=books
 
40.png
Lux_et_veritas:
Darn! Your Loyala Press link comes up dead. Can you give me an ISBN number or a title and author?

Well, it’s only about $200 bucks for a latin dictionary. I think I’ll use the one online for free

:banghead:
Click to expand...
Yes. Lewis and Short is expensive, but it is the best. It is available online for free here:
sms.org/mdl-indx/lsearch.htm#LS_Latin

Henle Links:

amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0829410260/qid=1116650698/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-0878219-4711816

amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0829401121/qid=1116650698/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-0878219-4711816
 
Thanks people for all the help.

I did manage to find Henle and ordered the book and 1st and 2nd year keys. I also ordered the one mentioned above - the Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin and the related Dictionary.

All good stuff people. Why not pursue it if we love it. It may be a calling for some of us. How else does one explain my desire to read and speak Latin in 1976 or so when I was raised in the Post Vatican 2 days and never heard it.

I feel a need to participate in perserving the language, and now the tradition.
 
The Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin, while a great resource, is not really geared to self-teaching (nor, perhaps, even to beginners).

The very best refresher I have found for the language I gave up half a lifetime ago after highschool :banghead: is Peter Jones’s Learn Latin. It began as a 20-week series of newspaper columns and is ideal for teach-it-yourself. It is not particularly ecclesiastical, though it does turn to the Vulgate for many example texts.

Another good course for self-study is the *Cursus Linguae Latinae Vivae * from the Familia Sancti Hieronymi. (Course in the Living Latin Language, from the Family of St Jerome)

tee
 
40.png
Lux_et_veritas:
Thanks people for all the help.

I did manage to find Henle and ordered the book and 1st and 2nd year keys. I also ordered the one mentioned above - the Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin and the related Dictionary.

All good stuff people. Why not pursue it if we love it. It may be a calling for some of us. How else does one explain my desire to read and speak Latin in 1976 or so when I was raised in the Post Vatican 2 days and never heard it.

I feel a need to participate in perserving the language, and now the tradition.
Click to expand...
We started with “English from the Roots up” (flashcards and stuff)
An" Latin’s not so tough"
Both found with a Google seach. (these are Latin for Classical Homeschool)
They are easy enough for my 5&7 year olds.
 
40.png
Lux_et_veritas:
Why not pursue it if we love it. It may be a calling for some of us. How else does one explain my desire to read and speak Latin in 1976 or so when I was raised in the Post Vatican 2 days and never heard it.

I feel a need to participate in perserving the language, and now the tradition.
Click to expand...
I totally agree! I’m fortunate that in our parish we have weekly Exposition, ending with Benediction and sung Night Prayer. Each week we sing Salve Regina & Tantum Ergo in Latin. During the coverage of the Popes death, I loved that I could sing along and understand these songs when sung during devotions. Made me wish I knew more in Latin.

Then a couple weeks ago I was reading in the GIRM that all parishes should know many of the mass responses in Latin, in particular the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. It definitely brings the universal church more into one family. So now I really want to learn. Thanks for starting this thread.
 
I can’t help but think that for those of us who were raised in the post-Vatican 2 era to want to learn Latin, it must be the work of the Holy Spirit. It makes no sense whatsoever for this desire or calling to learn the language, unless this thirst comes from God wanting it preserved.

I stuffed the desire into a closet some 30 years ago because I thought I had to. Not any more!

Lauds are also prayed in Latin before the morning mass. On any days I don’t have to work, I’m there! In fact, I’m looking at altering my flex hours to start at 8:45/9:00am on days when there are no meetings so that I can participate in Lauds and Mass a few mornings per week at that parish. The rest of the week, I can find a weekday mass at 6:30 am right near work.
 
I think learning Latin is a great idea.

If you know Latin, not only does Castillan Spanish (the Spanish spoken in Latin America and Madrid) will come easy, so will Italian and even French and Portugese, to a dgree.

Also, due to the Norman invasion of Englands in 1066, there are thousands of Latin words in the English language. It will increase your knowledge of English, which is not a Romance language.

About all the Latin I know is
*Dominus vobiscum
et cum spiritu tuo
Agnus Dei

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus
Dominus deus sabaoth
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua
Hosanna in excelsis
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini
Hosanna in excelsis

and a few other terms
 
40.png
Lux_et_veritas:
I can’t help but think that for those of us who were raised in the post-Vatican 2 era to want to learn Latin, it must be the work of the Holy Spirit. It makes no sense whatsoever for this desire or calling to learn the language, unless this thirst comes from God wanting it preserved.

I stuffed the desire into a closet some 30 years ago because I thought I had to. Not any more!
Click to expand...
Funny! I wanted to take Latin when entering HS in 1976 because it would make other languages easier, plus any biology words would make more sense. They discontinued the Latin program the year I started. Almost 30 years ago!

I agree, its a Holy Spirit thing. 👍
 
There are some Latin language courses online. I had a hankering to brush up on Latin about a year ago. I printed some materials from online, inlcuding workshets with fill in the blank exercises. I know how I am, and hated to spend the money on books if I would never use them. Sure enough, after a brief period I found myself too busy to keep up with it. Glad I never bought the books. My old HS Latin still gets me by. One of the most valuable courses I ever took.
 
drbo.org/ has the Latin Vulgate Bible online, along with English texts. I love it…It’s another great source of Latin reading.
My mom was a Latin teacher. She was so upset when it was taken out of schools. And I am so grateful that she made me take it while it was still there…Good luck!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top