Advice for learning Latin

[JWY]

I know this can be an endless, lifetime pursuit, but I want to spend about an hour a day over the next six months getting introduced to Latin to prepare for future reading requirements. My thoughts were Classical first (Wheelock) and then Ecclesiastical (Collins). Any thoughts about the Cambridge courses or Rosetta Stone? Looking for guidance...

 

[Bethel]

If you are self-educating, then I would highly recommend Wheelock's Latin because there are so many on-line helps. Here are just a few links:

Latin Grammar based on Wheelock
The LatinStudy List
Wheelock Latin Exercises
The Official Wheelock's Latin Series Website

Since you mentioned future reading requirements, here's a website for reading Latin: New Page 1

I have a complete set of the Cambridge Latin Course Books 1-4 (2003 edition). These books move at a slower pace than Wheelock's and are geared more toward the high school student rather than the adult learner.

In my opinion, Rosetta Stone is not worth the money because Latin is not just an auditory language. You need to see the grammar of Latin to truly appreciate its logical structure.

I hope this helps!

 

[CharlieJ]

RUN WHILE YOU HAVE A CHANCE!

Seriously, though, I taught myself Latin about 2 years ago. The most useful curriculum I found was Latin for Americans by Glencoe (or perhaps McGraw-Hill, I think they changed hands at one point). I had access to the Teacher's Editions of these books through a local library. They were the most useful to me because they focus on passage-length reading from the very beginning. At the beginning of each lesson is a paragraph or two of Latin text, about 90% of which you should know from previous lessons. The rest you have to figure out inductively based on context. Then, afterward, they explain the grammar. That is how real reading happens.

I supplemented with Wheelock's, simply because that curriculum is so well organized and has such clear explanations of grammatical concepts. Now, if I were to start learning again today, I would focus much more on the auditory.

That brings me to what may be the ultimate Latin program. Evan1965 on Youtube has two courses available. One is "Latin for Beginners" and is delivered in English. I believe that it has a textbook that you can download from off the web. The second course is called "Latin Language Course" or just "Latinum", and is taught 100% in immersion Latin after the first video. I went through the first 100 or so videos myself, and I definitely think it improved my intuitive grasp of basic Latin principles. I already knew some Latin at that point, though, so I don't know how a person with absolutely no knowledge would fare. Try it! http://www.youtube.com/user/evan1965?feature=watch

Also, there is an online community dedicated to using Latin - speaking, listening, writing, reading. When you get a little Latin under your belt, check it out: SCHOLA - Cum errare humanum sit, ne timueritis scribere, metu errandi permoti.

 

[jogri17]

I just started myself. I found myself a 82 year old ex philosphy philospher who studied to be a catholic Priest, but never went through with it and he and I get together weekly to read and discuss various Latin texts.

 

[JWY]

Thank you Bethel

---------- Post added at 07:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:17 PM ----------

Thanks CharlieJ

 

[JohnGill]

The two websites have been invaluable for me:

Textkit | Greek and Latin Learning Tools

LATINVM: Latinum Podcast

 

[JWY]

Thanks JohnGill

---------- Post added at 08:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:39 AM ----------

Thanks Bethel