Is Latin hard?

[Jack]

Is Latin hard?

I just realized I need another credit for next fall. I'm thinking about adding LATIN 101 to my schedule, simply because it would fit and not require any re-arranging of my classes or job.

I like the way Sinéad O'Connor sounds when she sings O Filii et Filiae, and also I like Enya's music in Latin*, but that's my extent of being exposed to the language.

I've studied Hebrew for one semester, German for a year, and French for one and a half semesters. I never seem to stick with just one, though.

I don't know, something in the back of my head tells me that Latin is super difficult and that only the Pope speaks it.

*Who else sings in Latin? Is there any IRTrad done in Latin?

[beowulf573]

I didn't find it particularly hard when I took it in high school. However, I never did get to the point I could read Latin text without a dictionary. Every once in a while I get the idea to relearn everything, but alas time has not been on my side.

Ironically, I learned a huge amount about English grammar by taking Latin.

[Coffee]

Chemists also use a lot of Latin, or so I'm told.

[gonzo914]

If you have slogged your way successfully through a year of German and a year and a half of French, Latin will be no harder. The verbs will work like French and the nouns will work like German. Sort of.

[djm]

What? No Greek?

djm

[Redwolf]

It's not particularly difficult, no. The main thing with Latin is it requires lots of memorization...I forget how many declensions and conjugations there are, but I do remember spending hours memorizing them (I had two years of Latin in high school and another year in college).

Redwolf

[Jack]

What? No Greek?

djm

I tried to study it on my own, but my school doesn't offer it. I love the alphabet, though...

[fearfaoin]

There are advantages to learning a "dead" language. You don't have
to be as worried about your accent, and the majority of translation
is from the dead language into English. The most difficult part of
learning any language is getting used to speaking it without actively
translating from your native language, but you don't really have
to do that very much with Latin since you're not expected to
converse fluently therein.

[TheSpoonMan]

Latin's not too hard. It's a little stricter than other languages, and more complex right at the outset- but any language is gonna get complex the deeper you get into it. I find it simple enough, but then I've been learning it since I was in first grade, so it comes pretty naturally to me. I'd say go for it.

[Innocent Bystander]

There are advantages to learning a "dead" language. You don't have
to be as worried about your accent, and the majority of translation
is from the dead language into English. The most difficult part of
learning any language is getting used to speaking it without actively
translating from your native language, but you don't really have
to do that very much with Latin since you're not expected to
converse fluently therein.

I love that. Maybe it's different now, but at School there were teachers who insisted that you pronounce "Cicero" as "Kikero" and those who insisted equally strongly that it was "Sissero".
If you have any kind of feeling for languages, Cranberry, and it sounds like you do, Latin should be a doddle.
"Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas" as Horace said. Happy the man who understands the causes of things.

[fearfaoin]

I love that. Maybe it's different now, but at School there were teachers who insisted that you pronounce "Cicero" as "Kikero" and those who insisted equally strongly that it was "Sissero".

Well, I never took it in school. But now that you're out, you never
worry about your accent, do you, IB? But if you were speaking
Spanish to Spaniards, you'd have to.

[Aanvil]

Atinlay estway onnay ifficilisday. Osvay erceptumpay oroway
atinlay aldevay evisbray icisvay isay osvay editormay.

[Innocent Bystander]

I love that. Maybe it's different now, but at School there were teachers who insisted that you pronounce "Cicero" as "Kikero" and those who insisted equally strongly that it was "Sissero".

Well, I never took it in school. But now that you're out, you never
worry about your accent, do you, IB? But if you were speaking
Spanish to Spaniards, you'd have to.

I'll just steer clear of the Vatican City, and I might be okay.
The Vatican City still uses Latin, Cranberry, as I'm sure you know, and if you want the approved Latin term for something like "Mobile Phone" or "Underarm deodorant" they are the people to ask.

[izzarina]

Maybe it's different now, but at School there were teachers who insisted that you pronounce "Cicero" as "Kikero" and those who insisted equally strongly that it was "Sissero".

The "Kikero" is classical, and the "Sissero" is Ecclesiastical. Just depends on who is teaching you at the time

I like Latin...it really isn't as hard as one might think, although I too depend on a dictionary too much (but that's only because I try to learn it in starts and stops...I haven't formally studied since High School). I think it will be fun to learn Oh, being more of a "Traditional" Catholic (one who attends a Latin Mass) I can guarantee that more than just the Pope speak it

Edited to say that now that I'm thinking about it, "Sissero" is actually more of an Anglicised way of pronouncing it. Ecclesiastical pronunciation would be more along the lines of "Chichero".

[Redwolf]

*Who else sings in Latin? Is there any IRTrad done in Latin?

We sing in Latin :

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/6/7/5 ... EstCBR.mp3

As far as Irish music goes, I only know of one song that's sung in Latin...an ancient and very beautiful hymn: Deus Meus (actually a Latin/Irish macaronic)

Deus meus adiuva me
Tabhair dom do shearc, a Mhic Dhil Dé
Tabhair dom do shearc, a Mhic Dhil Dé
Deus meus adiuva me

Domine, da quod peto a te
Tabhair dom go dian, a ghrian ghlan ghlé
Tabhair dom go dian, a ghrian ghlan ghlé
Domine, da quod peto a te

Tuum amorem sicut vis
Tabhair dom go tréan a déarfad arís
Tabhair dom go tréan a déarfad arís
Tuum amorem sicut vis

Domine, Domine, exaudi me
M'anam bheith lán ded'ghrá, a Dhé
M'anam bheith lán ded'ghrá, a Dhé
Domine, Domine, exaudi me

There's a sound clip here (click on "Sound Samples"):

http://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Lamentatio ... 433&sr=8-2

Redwolf