How to Learn to Speak Latin
Learning a new language is incredibly challenging, and is often made easier by immersing oneself in the culture and situations that expose them to that language all the time. Latin is a dead language. It is rarely used today beyond scholarly interpretations and the Roman Catholic church. There are tools available designed to make learning Latin easier.
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Instructions
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Check with your school or local library for information on local Latin courses offered. Review the information you receive, and enroll in courses.
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Learn the twenty-three letters of the Latin alphabet and their phonetic application to words. Knowing the alphabet will make it easier to learn the language.
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Immerse yourself in the cultural and historical aspects of the language to get a feel for its use in everyday life. Because Latin is no longer used in today's culture, consider holding gatherings with other Latin students. For example, throw a Toga party and serve your guests authentic Roman dishes. Make your guests speak Latin.
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Travel to Rome. Though Latin is no longer spoken in Rome, evidence of the culture and history is abundant there.
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As you dedicate time to learning the language and vocabulary, compare and note which of today's words stemmed from Latin and draw similarities between the two languages. Use this new-found tool to help you remember your vocabulary and study up on your linguistics.
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Listen to Latin language CDs and practice the exercises. Repeat the language prompts and try to integrate visual references to the vocabulary. Also consider learning songs in Latin. A number of Catholic hymns and old holiday carols can be found still performed in Latin.
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Check out the Internet's Latin resources, like Vicipaedia, the Latin version of Wikipedia. This free online resources archives articles on subjects both ancient and modern, allowing you to put your Latin skills to the test. You may also practice your written Latin by contributing articles to Vicipaedia on subjects that have yet to be added.
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Use Latin language software to immerse yourself in an interactive exploration of vocabulary, grammar, rules and spoken Latin.
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Check out free Latin language podcasts. Download them to your iPod or MP3 player to keep learning even when you're on the go.
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Consider attending a Roman Catholic mass ceremony. In some churches, many parts of mass are still recited in Latin.
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Practice and reflect often on what you have learned and look for ways to integrate your knowledge into every day life. The more ways you can find to apply what you've learned, the better it will stick.
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Tips & Warnings
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Latin is a challenging language to learn because it is no longer spoken. Not having a culture to immerse yourself in while studying may make it more difficult to grasp vocabulary and concepts.
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