Should I take a Latin class?

Question

I'm an art history major and need to be able to translate written French and German. I've been taking these two languages, and am thinking of taken a Latin class. Seems like it would help with the vocabulary.

Answer 1

Latin is a good language. It will help with your other language studies, and if you're planning on grad school, what you learn in Latin will help your GRE score.

However, if you're only planning on taking it because of your art history major, you need to concern yourself with what you plan on focusing on, especially in grad school. If you are not going into medieval art, it's unlikely a school will require Latin from you. If you're interested in the Renaissance, for instance, Italian is more likely. If you are interested in Asian art, the appropriate Asian language will be necessary.

Regardless, the German is a very good thing to have. Art history is, originally, a German discipline, and the language will help you with upper-level studies.

Answer 2

Yes, it would help with the vocabulary.

You also have a chance to read some great literature in the original language, and some rather risque, hilarious poetry (Catallus).

Latin is cool because every word is spelled the way it sounds, and you pronounce every syllable. You can learn to speak and spell (equus inquit "Neeeeeee") in under an hour.

And if you're ever in Ancient Rome, you'll have something to say. (It doesn't help in Latin America, though.)

Latin is fun, and everyone around you will be impressed when you interpret for them during "The People's Court."

Answer 3

There are plenty of words in both French and German in the modern language that can trace their roots back to the Old French and Old German language which can be trace to the Latin so yes it can be helpful in understanding languages .

Answer 4

Absolutely! Consider:

Perhaps 75% of words in English derive from Latin, usually any word of more than three syllables. So you will soon grasp the meaning of many strange words in English.

Then Latin will help you with French, a Romance language.

Latin, with its verb conjugations and noun declensions, has a grammar somewhat familiar to you in your German studies.

Then Latin, I think, is also a wonderful exercise in disciplined study.

Advance far enough and you will read real classics -- Cicero, Caesar, so forth

Answer 5

Latin will help with your translations. Your subject may begin in the 15th century, when people still inscribed works of art in Latin and wrote to one another in that language. Think of Michele de Montaigne, whose father hired Latin tutors to speak to him only in that language until he was 5, and they began to teach him French.

Answer 6

latin is a great language. most english words have latin origins.

Answer 7

yes a lot
of words from
all languages come
from latin :]
it would help a lot

Answer 8

It will surely help you because you can never learn too much.