At Brown University, there is no requirement for incoming freshmen to study a language, but at many universities freshmen must do so. I imagine that most students select one of the standard Romance languages such as French or Spanish, or possibly a more unique language such as Arabic or Mandarin. Yet, the next time you sit down in front of a course catalog, I urge you to consider studying Latin.
Although many suggest that Latin is a dead language, Spanish novelist Carlos Ruiz Zafón aptly points out that “there's no such thing as dead languages, only dormant minds.” Sure Latin may not be spoken, but this ancient language lives on every time you read “e pluribus unum” and in the very construction of this sentence. Latin is everywhere, from your college’s motto to your favorite television show and everything in between. The Latin learner was already a step ahead of other viewers when the Life and Death Brigade, a secret society at Yale, was introduced on
" Gilmore Girls," as they understood their slogan “in omnia paratus” to mean that the members were ready for anything. And with the relief after finals, recall that your “alma mater” is serving as your “nourishing mother.”
Studying Latin provides excellent learning tools in general, because it promotes attention to detail, precision and thoroughness. All languages, and mathematics, are cumulative subjects. They require nothing to be forgotten in order for future success. Most other subjects are topical, so that you can, for example, study about the American Revolution as a freshman and achieve only a C grade, but redeem yourself as you study about the Vietnam War in your sophomore year and achieve an A grade. With Latin, this cannot be done. The discipline that the cumulative nature of Latin requires is a lesson that will serve students well throughout their years of higher education.
Latin is also the best way to perfect your English, giving you a command of both grammar and vocabulary. English grammar is abstract and requires a great deal of memorization and simple intuition. Latin, on the other hand, is far more logical and concrete, primarily because of its structure and inflection. What this means is that Latin nouns have endings that tell you what the noun is doing in the sentence, whether it is a subject, a direct object, or an indirect object. Latin learners have a finer grasp of the complexities of grammar, understanding that a word ending in “ing” can be interpreted as either the gerund or the present participle, dependent upon context.
In addition to the fact that learning Latin grammar will hone your English grammar skills, it will likewise provide insight into English vocabulary. A great deal of English jargon derives from Latin, and by learning the derivation of words you can achieve a greater and deeper appreciation of their meaning. Moreover, many Latin words and phrases are still in use today, particularly in the fields of law and medicine. The next time you watch a legal drama or mystery show, remember that “alibi” truly translates to “elsewhere.”
Latin students are at an advantage when it comes to mastering words that every other student simply finds bizarre, and need not wonder why the plural of fungus is fungi or the plural of bacterium is bacteria, as these are the second declension endings of Latin nouns. In fact, the entire classification system for plants and animals has a Latin and Greek foundation. Similarly, mathematics is replete with Latin terms. The word “integer,” by way of example, means “whole” in Latin. Knowing the root of words is remarkably helpful in gaining a real understanding of their meaning.
Finally, there is something to be said for the fact that each Latin class also comes with an exploration of Greek mythology, epic poems, and war stories. From the tale of beautiful Narcissus, who fell in love with his reflection, to the sad tale of Orion’s death and Artemis’ transformation of her hunting companion into a constellation. The study of Latin will transport you to another place and time.
In the immortal words of the Roman poet, Horace, take a chance with a language that others will tell you is “dead,” and carpe diem!
