Why Increasing Numbers of Students Are Studying Latin
1.The romance languages derive from Latin. If you are thinking of studying Italian,
Spanish, French, German or even Russian, Latin can make it easier to understand the
linguistic background and history of these languages.
2.Over 90% of the longer, more formal words in English come from Latin, including
most formal words used in academic writing. Many have mastered English Grammar
by studying Latin since Latin grammar has fewer exceptions. You will be able to guess
the meaning of new English words by understanding Latin roots.
3.If you enjoy Literature you can get started on your quest the first hour of your first
class. There is no need to learn basic conversation. Roman literature offers great
poets such as Catullus, Horace, Lucretius, Martial, Virgil as well as prose writers like
Cicero and Caesar.
4.The intellectual challenge. Few subjects sharpen and test your intellect the way
Latin does. It teaches you to apply rules in a focused way.
5.With grade inflation in many countries, including Taiwan, it is becoming increasingly
difficult to distinguish the truly excellent students when they are applying for
graduate school overseas. The major schools know that students who have studied
Latin were sharply challenged to think logically and problem solve.
6.Ideas Forming Western Culture. If you are interested in understanding the
underpinnings of Western culture, you need to study the cultures of Greece and
Rome. Many of their ideas have formed the basis of Western culture.
7.The Interdisciplinary Nature of The Classics. The Classics (which include Latin) have
for hundreds of years provided an overall and comprehensive survey of a culture. You
will gain some understanding of the language, literature, anthropology, archaeology,
history, linguistics, mythology and art of this society. No other subject offers such an
interdisciplinary approach. One of my classmates at University of Toronto, Margaret
Visser, became a cultural anthropologist based entirely on her study of the Classics
and her own reading. An new word , visserism, has been added to the Oxford
Dictionary to reflect the blinding genius of someone who draws on many disciplines
to come up with profound insights.
8.Learning To Focus ON Original Sources. Latin and the Classics forces you to work in
detail and focus on original sources. Reading Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Horace, Tacitus,
Livy and much more in translation you lose much of the meaning. Latin teaches
intellectual discipline.
9.Jobs. A background in Latin is needed for occupations in the Church, Literature,
Law, Marketing, Teaching, Biology, Botany, Archives, the Civil Service- almost
anything.
10.Latin Students Perform Better On Standardized Tests. An increased vocabulary and
a greater facility with English have helped students of Latin consistently perform
better on all standardized tests. In particular, studies have been conducted on the
TOEIC ( almost 200 points higher) and the SAT ( on average, 157 points higher). In
these tests Latin students outperform their peers including those who have studies
Modern Languages.