Articles
WHY LATIN?
Many Latin teachers today speak Latin orally in their classrooms and treat it as if it were a modern language! The students live and breathe Latin and are absorbed in the Romans and their culture, translating Caesar, Vergil, Ovid, and Catullus, learning about gladiators, war, love, politics, and daily life. With all of this, how could Latin be referred to as a “dead language?”
Latin has been gaining popularity in the past decade. In fact, there is a nationwide resurgence of Latin, especially in the Northeast. Schools are beginning to teach Latin as early as 5 th grade, and in some schools even early Elementary. Ambitious students are capable of reaching Advanced Placement (AP) levels of Latin in high school. Many high schools that offer Latin also have “Honors” levels available.
Medical and legal terms derive from Latin, as do the scientific names of every plants and animal. Our political system is modeled after the Roman government. The culture of the entire Roman Empire was rich in tradition, including its important lessons and stories in mythology, sporting events, architecture, theater, literature, philosophy, and art history.
Your child’s English grammar, vocabulary, and reading levels will also instantaneously improve due to the numerous derivatives and cognates, rigorous format of translating, and disciplined grammar. It has been proven that students who take Latin receive much higher scores on the Verbal section of the SAT than students who take a modern language.
If your child is struggling with Spanish or French, a logical switch would be to go into Latin, rather than German, Russian, or Italian. Remember that Latin is the “mother” and basis of the Romance languages. “Her children” include French, Romanian, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. By learning Latin, doors are immediately opened to being able to translate, read, and understand numerous modern languages.
Carpe Diem!
Written by Erika S. ( Click here to view Erika’s bio.)
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