Why should students study Latin?
Latin is a dead language. Or, so it is said. But if Latin is dead then it speaks loudly from the grave. And I wonder if it is in the grave. Perhaps rumors of its demise have been greatly exaggerated. While Latin is no longer spoken, it is still widely studied and Latin classics are still printed. Moreover, when you realize the importance that Latin has played in the development of Western civilization—the civilization you are living in right now—you must confess that Latin may be old but is still vigorous in its old age, unlike some of us.
Even so, you might wonder, “Why should students learn Latin beginning in the grammar school years?”
You may have heard that Latin is beneficial because students who take it score higher on the SAT. English has many words derived from Latin and students who study Latin have better English vocabularies and thus do better on standardized tests. That may be true and is a worthy reason for students to labor over Latin paradigms. You may have heard that Latin is beneficial because it gives students a proper foundation to learn other Romance languages (i.e., French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian). With the rise of Hispanic immigrants to America, providing a better base for learning Spanish is a laudable reason for Latin. You may have heard that many technical words in our society’s prestigious professional fields like law and medicine are derived from Latin. Giving students a head start in honorable fields needs no justification.
While these reasons are worthy there are even better reasons for the study of Latin.
First, Latin helps students learn their own language better. When students master Latin they are (re)learning subjects, verbs, direct objects, pronouns, gerunds, infinitives and so on. Studying Latin is a total course in grammar and when students learn Latin grammar they are doing so with reference to English grammar.
When you learn another language it forces you to compare. It is kind of like watching yourself on video. You never realized that you speak that way and have those mannerisms. Latin gives students the opportunity to step outside of their own language, as it were, to see how their language really works. In seeing how another language works with comparison to their own language, students learn better English style and expression. They become better writers and speakers.
Second, Latin helps students develop critical thinking skills. Unlike English, Latin is an inflected language. An inflected language is one in which word endings determine the word’s function in a sentence. For instance, the Latin word “Amo” means “I love” while the Latin word “Amas” means “You love.” In English the verb “love” doesn’t change whether the subject is “I” or “You.”
Latin, like the Roman soldiers who spoke it, marches in orderly patterns. It follows rules and logic. To understand a Latin sentence students must attend carefully to those rules and logic. They must pay attention; they must analyze and dissect. In short, they must develop mental toughness and discipline. Latin exercises the mind in these specific ways. It provides a total mind workout. Students who work out their minds with Latin come away with a muscular brains.
Some of you might be wondering, “Well, why can’t students learn a modern language? Wouldn’t a modern language have the same benefit?” The short answer is, “No, not the same benefit.” By “modern language” you are probably referring to Spanish or French. These aren’t inflected languages. These languages don’t require the same kind of precision in decoding as inflected languages do. While beneficial for living in modern society, Latin is more basic than Spanish or French because it develops more fundamental skills.
Another added benefit is that Latin gives students the tools to read classic texts—the texts that have shaped Western civilization like Augustine’s Confessions. In short, while Latin forms the mind it fills the mind.
So Latin may be old but it is not outdated. When students learn Latin they are being prepared to live in the real world with sharpened minds and greater thinking skills. Long after we have died—and students—Latin will continue to live on as a teaching tool of the highest order. Who said Latin was dead? Rather, it is a living language that enlivens the minds of learners so that they can live better lives.
Even so, you might wonder, “Why should students learn Latin beginning in the grammar school years?”
You may have heard that Latin is beneficial because students who take it score higher on the SAT. English has many words derived from Latin and students who study Latin have better English vocabularies and thus do better on standardized tests. That may be true and is a worthy reason for students to labor over Latin paradigms. You may have heard that Latin is beneficial because it gives students a proper foundation to learn other Romance languages (i.e., French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian). With the rise of Hispanic immigrants to America, providing a better base for learning Spanish is a laudable reason for Latin. You may have heard that many technical words in our society’s prestigious professional fields like law and medicine are derived from Latin. Giving students a head start in honorable fields needs no justification.
While these reasons are worthy there are even better reasons for the study of Latin.
First, Latin helps students learn their own language better. When students master Latin they are (re)learning subjects, verbs, direct objects, pronouns, gerunds, infinitives and so on. Studying Latin is a total course in grammar and when students learn Latin grammar they are doing so with reference to English grammar.
When you learn another language it forces you to compare. It is kind of like watching yourself on video. You never realized that you speak that way and have those mannerisms. Latin gives students the opportunity to step outside of their own language, as it were, to see how their language really works. In seeing how another language works with comparison to their own language, students learn better English style and expression. They become better writers and speakers.
Second, Latin helps students develop critical thinking skills. Unlike English, Latin is an inflected language. An inflected language is one in which word endings determine the word’s function in a sentence. For instance, the Latin word “Amo” means “I love” while the Latin word “Amas” means “You love.” In English the verb “love” doesn’t change whether the subject is “I” or “You.”
Latin, like the Roman soldiers who spoke it, marches in orderly patterns. It follows rules and logic. To understand a Latin sentence students must attend carefully to those rules and logic. They must pay attention; they must analyze and dissect. In short, they must develop mental toughness and discipline. Latin exercises the mind in these specific ways. It provides a total mind workout. Students who work out their minds with Latin come away with a muscular brains.
Some of you might be wondering, “Well, why can’t students learn a modern language? Wouldn’t a modern language have the same benefit?” The short answer is, “No, not the same benefit.” By “modern language” you are probably referring to Spanish or French. These aren’t inflected languages. These languages don’t require the same kind of precision in decoding as inflected languages do. While beneficial for living in modern society, Latin is more basic than Spanish or French because it develops more fundamental skills.
Another added benefit is that Latin gives students the tools to read classic texts—the texts that have shaped Western civilization like Augustine’s Confessions. In short, while Latin forms the mind it fills the mind.
So Latin may be old but it is not outdated. When students learn Latin they are being prepared to live in the real world with sharpened minds and greater thinking skills. Long after we have died—and students—Latin will continue to live on as a teaching tool of the highest order. Who said Latin was dead? Rather, it is a living language that enlivens the minds of learners so that they can live better lives.
posted by T. Chris at Wednesday, September 06, 2006
5 Comments:
So, do you recommend those of us who are considering post-graduate degrees, and who have not learned Latin, take this up as late as our mid-30's? Or, would you say that the return on such an investment wouldn't be worth the effort?
Anonymous,
Good question. The article was a rationale for why students (i.e. grammar school, MS, and HS) should have Latin at a young age.
But what about the rest of us? What about those of us not so fortunate?
I think the answer will depend on time, interest, and goals.
You mention post-graduate work. If your post-graduate work is in historical theology, as mine was, then you're program of study should include a Latin component. If it is in Biblical Studies then you should have to learn Hebrew and Greek. Greek is an inflected language and can accomplish what Latin does and has the benefit of allowing the learned student to read the Greek NT, a very fine outcome!
If you are in a program that doesn't have Latin then you may not have the time to devote to Latin if the program is rigorous.
I believe in life-long learning. Part of life-long learning is to develop critical thinking and anlytical skills. Latin helps students do that. There are certainly other ways. Adults might find formal logic more interesting. The benefit of Latin is that it starts students along the "logic-road" before they're able to study formal logic. At my school students do learn formal logic but after Latin has developed their minds.
Does that answer your question?
Thanks for the answer. That's what I was looking for!
You didn't say, did you learn Latin?
I was formally trained in Latin but unfortunately not in grammar school or HS.
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