Next year I will take either German or Latin, and I'm having trouble deciding which to choose. What I would like to know is which is easier to learn, more fun, more useful, etc.
2007-01-25 15:15:15 · 9 answers · asked by cmrncobb 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
While Latin would be interesting as it is the source of most European languages and has a complex grammar . However,whilst there a plenty of people who study Latin there are no countries in the world that use it as their main language. On the other hand there are plenty of German speaking peoples around the world with whom you could converse.
2007-01-25 15:27:52 · answer #1 · answered by lizzie 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on what you will do with the language, and do you have a "gift" for learning a language. I did not study German, because I found it too difficult. Latin was easier, and much more useful because we have some many words that we use that come from Latin.
2007-01-25 15:51:09 · answer #2 · answered by Alfie333 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Latin is useful if you want to learn some other european languages (e.g. German) because they are based on it. The German and Latin grammar are very similar. I'd recommend learning German for you, because it seems more useful to me. Latin is not spoken anywhere (and I have to learn it..the grammar is easy to me, but they have so many sayings). In German language, we've got much more words than the English language has, and the grammar is also hard. So I think you should decide yourself...
2007-01-25 16:17:27 · answer #3 · answered by tine 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, you'll be able to use German if you travel and you can go to forums to practice. As for Latin, it's great because it helps you for all European languages.
If you are in no hurry, I'd advise you to learn first Latin, then German. To write in Latin, you'll need to learn about declination (I don't know how to say that in English), which will be very helpful for German as you won't have a problem understanding German grammar afterwards.
2007-01-25 15:33:57 · answer #4 · answered by Offkey 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take a semester of Latin - it will do wonders for your understanding of grammar, your vocabulary and your ability to figure out the meanings of words. My son took it in 7th grade and scored an 800 on the SAT verbal in 8th grade! He ended up taking 2 years of it. Take the Latin first for the above, then take the German as a spoken language. I have to say though, I really didn't have grasp of English declensions and conjugations until I took German - they really drive that stuff home.
2007-01-25 15:29:11 · answer #5 · answered by Skeff 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Learn German, its an Interesting Language!!!
2007-01-26 11:13:33 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Take latin. Many medical terms are compounds of latin words. i.e. vacination. Louis pasteur used cowpox to vacinate for smallpox. Hence the word vacination from the latin vacca meaning cow.
Also spanish, portuguese, french and italian (romantic languages) are all from latin roots. Spanish has now usurped english as the largest part of the population of the USA. South america and the Caribbean are all latin languages. Where is there left to go or learn. Buenos pueris est. |(You are a Good Student)
2007-01-25 15:38:37 · answer #7 · answered by ray b 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Latin is a beautiful language but it isn't used in any country and the language and grammer is very difficult i would go with german because it is similar to english and it will be more useful
2007-01-25 15:30:55 · answer #8 · answered by Mia16 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Although Latin would be a very sophisticated language to know, considering that is the root of the majority of our enlish words, it would not do you much good as the fact it is the Dead Language.German would come in much handier, but frankly we cannot tell you which is easier since we all have different learning capabilities and different opinions to what we consider "fun". do what is pullin on you the most
2007-01-25 19:00:29 · answer #9 · answered by brighteyes 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋