Why Study the Latin Language?
Latin is an important historical language with a rich literature and history that influenced many European languages, including English. According to Professor William Harris of Middlebury College, the best reason to study Latin is because it's intrinsically fascinating and fun. If you need some other reasons, many scholars have noted how Latin language study develops critical thinking skills in several important and pragmatic areas.
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The Technical Aspect of Latin
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Latin, unlike English, is a precise and demanding language, with declensions and conjugations that are absent or hardly noted in English. Studying Latin gives students a better sense of how thoughts can be crafted into concise, accurate sentences.
The Value of Latin Literature
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Latin literature, including the important works of Vergil and Ovid to name just two, are great works of art that have had phenomenal influence on western literature. Much of Shakespeare, for example, is unintelligible without a basic familiarity with Latin literature.
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The Value of Roman Culture
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Roman culture also had a great influence on the development of European civilization, in every area from politics to art to law. Reading the sources in the original language help us understand the foundations of Western culture as a whole.
Latin as Foundation of Modern Languages
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Latin is the root language of many modern Romance languages, such as French, Spanish, and Italian. Knowledge of Latin makes it much easier to grasp the structure and vocabulary of these and other modern languages. English also borrows heavily from Latin, and a thorough study of the ancient language lends depth to the understanding of modern terminology as well.
Latin and Other Studies
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For much of European history, Latin served as a unifying language, making it ideal for the development of technical vocabulary in fields as diverse as biology, law, and theology. Modern study of these fields is considerably enriched by a grasp of Latin.
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References
- Photo Credit Latin Inscription in the Desert image by MrsH from Fotolia.com
