Learning Latin

[Josephi_verbum]

Yes, ecclesiastical Latin or Church Latin, used by the Catholic Church has a difference pronunciation structure than the Classical Latin. Church Latin is closer to Italian and sounds better than classical Latin. Notable differences are ‘c’ being a hard K (all the time in Classical) vs. K or CH (in Church Latin). V makes a W sound in classical vs V in Church Latin.
Example: Veni Vidi Vici: I came, I saw, I conquered.
Classical: Pronounced - /ˈweniː ˈwidiː ˈwikiː/
Ecclesiastical: - /ˈveniː ˈvidiː ˈvichiː/

The G you mentioned is ALWAYS hard in Classical it can be both in Church Latin depending on where it is and what’s around it.

 

[Denise1957]

Yes, ecclesiastical Latin or Church Latin, used by the Catholic Church has a difference pronunciation structure than the Classical Latin. Church Latin is closer to Italian and sounds better than classical Latin. Notable differences are ‘c’ being a hard K (all the time in Classical) vs. K or CH (in Church Latin). V makes a W sound in classical vs V in Church Latin.
Example: Veni Vidi Vici: I came, I saw, I conquered.
Classical: Pronounced - /ˈweniː ˈwidiː ˈwikiː/
Ecclesiastical: - /ˈveniː ˈvidiː ˈvichiː/

The G you mentioned is ALWAYS hard in Classical it can be both in Church Latin depending on where it is and what’s around it.

Thank you, that explains it for me. Do you know what book from Memoria Press would be good to start out with for someone who is essentially a beginner, like myself?

 

[ProVobis]

I am sorry to bump this thread from 3 years ago but this was one of the first ones I came across when I was looking into Latin. I am 26 yrs old and finishing up Year 2 of Latin. If you are fully committed to Latin then the best place I’ve found is Memoria Press. It’s a 4 year course but that’s based on school years. If you do it alone it takes 4-6 months per year so you can finish all 4 years in half the time.

memoriapress.com/curriculum/latin

I have found this teaching method to be amazing. I learn it and remember it. You learn the language from a grammar standpoint so it is a complete understanding. I have no idea if you will read this but if someone happens across this thread as I did 2 years ago I hope it helps!

Deus tecum et bonam fortunam!

It’s always good to have a learning “buddy” so you can reinforce the Latin learning after you’ve taken the courses. Or go to a weekly Latin Mass. Learning a language is a lifetime commitment, not just 2 years or 4 years.

 

[Josephi_verbum]

Thank you, that explains it for me. Do you know what book from Memoria Press would be good to start out with for someone who is essentially a beginner, like myself?

Memoria Press offers class options. So it’s not going to just be a book but more of a course.

memoriapress.com/curriculum/latin/first-form-latin

That is the Latin 1. It is the introductory course and if built around no previous understanding of Latin. Check out those sample PDF’s on that link. They show what the text and workbooks will look like. There are two options to purchase. The complete included a DVD’s and flashcards. There is a video on that link as well that shows a sample of a lesson that would be seen on the DVDs. I have found the DVDs helpful as they give a teacher for each lesson.

I would read up on that and see if that is they type of study you are interested in. I also have a public Quizlet I use for my flash cards and learning. I unfortunately didn’t start it till year 2 so I haven’t filled in all the year 1 vocabulary but you are free to use that if this is something you go with.

quizlet.com/Joseph_Listerman

I swear I don’t work for these people. This is just the best way I’ve found to learn Latin and learn it at a deep, grammatical and translational way. Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[identidem]

I am perplexed about the role of Latin in the Catholic faith. We call this the official language of the Catholic Church and yet we deny the students the opportunity in our K-8 Catholic schools from learning Latin.

Latin is helpful in so many ways and the Pope is very strong in Latin and the last Pope wanted schools to introduce Latin back into the curriculum (but this was ignored in Wisconsin).

Now is the time to put Latin into our Catholic Schools, otherwise we should quit pretending to acknowledge that Latin is the official language—when we are not even making an attempt to teach our young Catholic students Latin.

Teaching Latin would make our Catholic schools so productive and strong in Church history and the liturgy—and of course would increase students’ comprehension in the sciences and in our English language.

I have found that for bilingual Hispanic Catholic students, they are able to learn Latin (when connected to Spanish) and this helps them to do better in other classes.

We are ‘missing the boat’, ‘dropping the ball’ and not paying attention about this important issue----esp. in the era of massive standardized testing in the U.S.

Identidem

 

[ProVobis]

I am perplexed about the role of Latin in the Catholic faith. We call this the official language of the Catholic Church and yet we deny the students the opportunity in our K-8 Catholic schools from learning Latin.

Latin is helpful in so many ways and the Pope is very strong in Latin and the last Pope wanted schools to introduce Latin back into the curriculum (but this was ignored in Wisconsin).

Now is the time to put Latin into our Catholic Schools, otherwise we should quit pretending to acknowledge that Latin is the official language—when we are not even making an attempt to teach our young Catholic students Latin.

Teaching Latin would make our Catholic schools so productive and strong in Church history and the liturgy—and of course would increase students’ comprehension in the sciences and in our English language.

I have found that for bilingual Hispanic Catholic students, they are able to learn Latin (when connected to Spanish) and this helps them to do better in other classes.

We are ‘missing the boat’, ‘dropping the ball’ and not paying attention about this important issue----esp. in the era of massive standardized testing in the U.S.

Identidem

Indeed. I was pleasantly surprised when I read that one of my local parishes will be teaching Latin in their K-8 school. (There is no Latin taught in the county AFAIK.) I did write to tell them I would help them in any way I could.

 

[ob_audire]

This is the best free resource I have found for learning Latin: youtube.com/user/evan1965
It teaches you to speak and listen as well as reading and grammar, and contains an awful lot of material just to help you get the feel of Latin. Unfortunately it does use the classical pronunciation, but if you only need to read I don’t think it will be a problem.

 

[Casilda]

Teaching Latin would make our Catholic schools so productive and strong in Church history and the liturgy—and of course would increase students’ comprehension in the sciences and in our English language.

Identidem

Yes. The same forces at work in the dumbing down of the public school system are actively doing the same for private schools. It used to be that to be educated one must learn Greek and Latin. Now the schools produce illiterate graduates, they are lucky to know a little English, albeit not from whence most of their language originated from. The prejudice against Latin stems from the anti-Catholic mindset of protestant America. Therefore, Identitem’s premise is correct.

 

[QNDNNDQDCE]

I have been happy using this series to help teach and for my own practice.

focusbookstore.com/lingualatina.aspx

It is heavily focused on reading, and has great supplemental materials. The content starts out a little boring (since it starts with more or less Caveman Latin), but quickly picks up as it progresses, and it gives the reader the satisfaction of being able to read extended Latin texts at sight.

I have used Wheelock as well. My opinion is that it is a little boring compared to some other textbooks I have used, but I like that it has a pretty comprehensive view of basic Latin grammar in a single volume (and only $12.91 for the paperback on Amazon!), although it also has supplemental materials available. I think it would make a good book for someone wanting a crash course in the rudiments of Latin grammar. On the other hand, I could easily see someone using Wheelock for self-study, finishing it and then realizing that they still could barely read Latin. I would be sure to supplement it with other materials.

Henle is a series of textbooks in a vein similar to Wheelock, in that the approach is a systematic, step-by-step introduction of paradigms (“memorize the first declension, memorize the second declension” etc.), but it seems to have a little more depth. It also was written by a Jesuit priest so it has a Catholic flavor in addition to the focus on classical antiquity you would find in most Latin textbooks. I have only looked at the first volume (of four), but I could see it being a more attractive alternative to Wheelock for Catholic students.

 

[ProVobis]

For those who are into spreadsheets, I’ve put together one for the Latin verbs. (I’ve had it tested in the Sandlot subforum, btw.) it’s a lot, I know, but most you’ll probably never use. Just change the root (in blue) and you’ll find all the forms for that verb.