Rationale
Why a Latin Course?
What skills will the young people of today need to be
successful in the 21st century? All agree that
effective communication skills will continue to be a vital component of
a sound educational program. Effective communication requires the development
of proficiency in listening, reading, and writing skills as well as an
understanding of cultural values.
I sometimes hear the comment that since English has become
a "world language", the need to learn a second language is not
very important. I have traveled to many countries with knowledge of French,
Latin, and a smattering of other languages. It's true that I could always
ask directions, choose foods, drive through the country, etc. by relying
on English and pointing (although in China it was difficult). But is that
enough? I have learned much more in my travels in France and Japan when
I could communicate with the people who lived there. If we allow ourselves
to think that the languages and cultures of all other peoples can be translated
into English, we miss the richness and variety that the world offers,
and we confine ourselves to a very narrow environment indeed.
What has all this
to do with Latin? With whom will we speak if we continue to study Latin?
No, there are no ancient Romans among us, but the language they spoke
is alive today in French, Italian, Spanish, Romansch, Romanian, and even
English. Learning Latin is an excellent stepping stone to communicating
in many other languages. While we will work on perfecting pronunciation,
the stress in Latin II will be on grammar, vocabulary, and the culture
of the Romans. When you begin your study of a modern language, you will
have a Latin background that will allow you more time to concentrate on
the speaking and listening skills that are so important in a modern language.
Learning Latin also heightens your awareness of your own
language and daily life. You will continually increase your English vocabulary
skills and your understanding of English grammar. You will see Latin and
Greek references in the literature you read, the movies you see, the museums
you visit, the music to which you listen. The architecture of the world
around you abounds with columns, domes, arches, and atria.
There is one other very
important skill you will take away from your Latin study: the skill of
deductive reasoning. Each time
you learn a new grammar principle in Latin, you build from what you have
learned previously. Each time you read a passage in Latin, you need to
deduce the form of the text from the endings of the words in a given sentence.
This ability to work out solutions from the given facts is a skill you
will use forever.
How often I hear:
"Latin helped my SAT scores."
"I really enjoyed Latin."
"I didn't like Latin when I had to
study it, but I'm glad now I took it. It is really helpful."
"I couldn't have survived medical or
law school without Latin."
Whatever the reason for being a part of this class, I hope students will
enjoy it, study hard, and have great success. For my part, I plan to provide
the skills necessary to develop effective and efficient language learning
techniques and to share with you my enjoyment of the ancient world.
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