Visitors ask...How do you pronounce (place Latin word or phrase here)
I am getting a steady stream of searches for pronouncing Latin words or phrases that range from "universalis" to "Opus Dei!" Clearly, this indicates two things. One, the word Latin in my blog title conveys I am an advanced student/teacher of Latin (not really; only up to Livy). And second, that there is a keen interest in the Latin language once again. (Bravo!).
As a young man, my high school teachers emphasized that if we learned the basics of Latin, we would be far ahead of most students in English vocabulary as so many English words derive from Latin (we also were expected to study Greek). Factor in that the "Romance" languages are essentially offshoots of Latin, and my teachers were proved totally correct. Latin is not a dead language; we speak it daily albeit unknowingly. Someone asked what the Latin word for "menu" is? The English word is menu!
The only way to learn Latin is to study and hear it. Here are two sites to explore. The first is the marvelous Wheelock's Latin site which is the benchmark. The second site is a fun site that has pronunciations of a variety of things written; this links to some phrases from the Vulgate of St. Jerome. I will try to incorporate some of this audio Latin in my weekly picks.
Take up the gauntlet! Go to some websites and discover how to speak and to write Latin. Go to a site and decide to buy the books and learn the declensions. It is not as difficult as you might imagine. And, convince your home schoolers or teens to take it in high school. It will be obvious to you why their Verbal SAT scores are off the charts.
As a young man, my high school teachers emphasized that if we learned the basics of Latin, we would be far ahead of most students in English vocabulary as so many English words derive from Latin (we also were expected to study Greek). Factor in that the "Romance" languages are essentially offshoots of Latin, and my teachers were proved totally correct. Latin is not a dead language; we speak it daily albeit unknowingly. Someone asked what the Latin word for "menu" is? The English word is menu!
The only way to learn Latin is to study and hear it. Here are two sites to explore. The first is the marvelous Wheelock's Latin site which is the benchmark. The second site is a fun site that has pronunciations of a variety of things written; this links to some phrases from the Vulgate of St. Jerome. I will try to incorporate some of this audio Latin in my weekly picks.
Take up the gauntlet! Go to some websites and discover how to speak and to write Latin. Go to a site and decide to buy the books and learn the declensions. It is not as difficult as you might imagine. And, convince your home schoolers or teens to take it in high school. It will be obvious to you why their Verbal SAT scores are off the charts.
Comments
Post a Comment