Living Latin?

Question

Simple question- do you think that people should be encouraged to speak Latin as their preferred language and as a living language?
I would love the chance to speak Latin as my language. It's a highly flexible and beautiful language.

ego linguam Latinam dicio in universite. id amo!

Answer 1

I THINK that one "quotes" Latin rather than speaks it.

Answer 2

That's great that you're so enthusiastic about what you're studying. I've been in classics for more than a few years now, and I still love it myself.

Regarding Latin as a living language, I think that it's a great idea. There are a few groups of grad students here and there that get out and try it, but not that many. It's difficult when it's next to impossible to immerse yourself in the language. One's understanding of the language would most certainly improve, though, with a little practice speaking.

As for making Latin my preferred language, I'm not so sure. First of all, English is my native tongue, and it's kind of grown on me. Secondly, I think that something would be missing from the language that was present in authors like Catullus if we were to speak it today. The Romanitas wouldn't quite be there. And that quality is half of what I love about the language. It just wouldn't be the same language I've grown to love, simply because we lack the quintessentially Roman outlook on life that was part and parcel of their language (which is probably a good thing, considering some of the activities that were commonplace back then).

Anyway, you should try to get some of the undergrads and grad students at your university together and devote a couple of hours a week to trying to speak Latin. It'd be fun. We used to do it at Cal when I was an undergrad (unfortunately, such meetings were accompanied by lots of alchohol and usually degenerated into us using the numerous threats and curses we'd learned thus far).

Answer 3

Ego quoque linguam latinam volenter loquor.

There was one magical evening when an ill assorted group of us discovered that Latin was the only language which everybody had studied. We actually spent the evening talking it. But it was an experience which was never to be repeated.

You'd perhaps like to know about the Latin news broadcasts from Finland.
http://www.yleradio1.fi/nuntii/
http://lists.village.virginia.edu/lists_archive/Humanist/v05/0706.html

Answer 4

I'm with you--I love Latin and would love to get together with Latinophiles and speak it. I'm sure my vocabulary and understanding of the language would increase dramatically if I could only *speak* it, instead of just translating in writing. I don't think the language itself is so complicated after you get the rules down. In some ways Latin is much simpler and has much more brevity that English, what with English's long strings of auxiliary verbs.

Answer 5

Yes, although I think classical Greek is even more beautiful, not to mention having a much more distinguished literature (besides Homer, think of all that great drama and philosophy. Latin has half a dozen great poets and the rest is mostly self-serving history and political rhetoric).

Actually, I don't know if people should be encouraged to speak Latin as it's pretty useless for most conversational purposes, but certainly they should be encouraged to read it for fun. And it's easier than Greek.

Answer 6

Vale, puella!
Concordia polulorum causa magnarum divitiārum est.
But not so many would agree...

I would be that very happy... But one should first understand its marvellous and socially important backround. Do you really think, that so many people would learn such a wonderful but complicated language? And even speak it?
I did it. But a lot of diligence is requested.
I simply "apprŏbo diligentiam ac doctrinam" but too many people think that "diligentiā et studium insidiae vitae sunt", therefore "vanae et fluxae sunt laetitia atque gloria nostrae" .

Bye

Answer 7

well depends where u live and where your gonna use LATIN, as a Catholic i have come to love it and am trying to learn the Basics

Answer 8

VIVA MEXICO