Latin Language: Origins, Influence, and Structure, Slides of Latin language

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September 13 th , 2011

 Language of the ancient Latins and Romans.  Spread to Europe together with the Roman Empire; foundation of “Romance” languages (i.e. French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian); Profound influence on the evolution of English.  Language of literacy and scholarship in Europe down to 16th^ century (emergence of vernacular literature, esp. Scripture).  Language of science and international diplomacy well into the 19th^ century.  Indo-European language (i.e. One of a group of related languages sharing a common parent language and so common syntax, structure, morphology etc.).  Indo-European languages include: Latin, Greek, Germanic (i.e. German, Dutch, Danish, English etc.), Slavonic (i.e. Russian, Polish, Ukrainian etc.), Gaelic (i.e. Irish, Welsh etc.), Persian (i.e. Pharsi), and Indic (i.e. Sanskrit et. al.).

Mother

 Latin = mater.

 Sanskrit = matar.

 Greek = meter.

 Anglo-Saxon = modor.

 Old Irish = mathir.

 German = mütter.

 Russian = mat’.

 English = mother.

 Latin = est.

 Sanskrit = asti.

 Greek = esti.

 Anglo-Saxon = is.

 Old Irish = is.

 German = ist.

 Russian = jest’.

 English = is.

Is

 Latin = an inflected language; English no longer

inflected.

 Inflected Language – the role of a word in a sentence is

determined by the form of the word and NOT by word

order.

 English relies on word order to convey the role played

by a word in a sentence.

 Role of a word in a sentence determined by its form (i.e. Its inflection). “The dog bites (is biting) the boy.”  Can is (dog) mordet puer um (boy).  Puer um can is mordet.  Puer um mordet can is. “The boy bites (is biting) the dog.”  Puer mordet canem.  Canem puer mordet.  Canem mordet puer.  Role of word in a sentence is determined by case ending for nouns, pronouns, adjectives, participles etc. (Nominative, Genitive, Accusative, Dative, Ablative, Vocative, Locative); Declensions.  Person (1st, 2nd, 3rd, singular or plural), Tense (present, imperfect, perfect, pluperfect, future, future perfect), Voice (active, passive), Mood (indicative, subjunctive, imperative) determined by form of the verb; Conjugation.  Change in word order results in change in emphasis, not change in meaning.  Typical Latin word order places the main verb at the end of the sentence.

 Noun = Person, place, or thing.  Adjective = Word describing a noun.  Pronoun = Word standing in place of a noun.  Verb = Action word; can be active or passive.  Adverb = Word describing the manner in which an action is performed.  Subject = the one performing the action of the main verb.  Direct Object = the one receiving the action of the main verb.  Indirect Object = the one with an interest in the action of the sentence (i.e. For whose benefit, advantage, or disadvantage the action of a verb is performed).  Predicate = Word or phrase linked to the subject by the copulative verb “to be” (i.e. am, are, is etc.).

 Crucial for research for any period of European history,

culture, literature, religion etc. pre-sixteenth century.

 Deeper understanding of the nuances of Latin

literature.

 Improves your understanding of English.

 Improves your understanding of other modern

European languages.

 Frederic Wheelock, Wheelock's Latin. 6th Edition. Harper

Resource ISBN: 0060783710



James May, Thirty-eight Latin Stories Ancilla to Wheelock's

Latin: An Introductory Course Based on Latin Authors.

Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers.ISBN: 0865162891

 D.P. Simpson, Cassell's Latin and English Dictionary. John

Wiley and Sons. ISBN: 0020133405

 Be familiar with the syllabus: http://www.nipissingu.ca/faculty/richardw/  Always prepare assignments to be taken up in class before class; make note of any difficulties, problems, and questions and bring them to class.  Put in the effort in the beginning to memorize declensions, conjugations etc.  DO A LITTLE EACH DAY. LANGUAGE BUILDS ON PREVIOUS LESSONS SO DON’T LEAVE ASSIGNMENTS UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT. USE IT OR LOSE IT.  Try to read a little Latin every day (i.e. 15 minutes).  Start studying early; bring questions/problems immediately.  Have fun – Don’t make it a chore – Make mistakes in class not on tests and exams.