College German and Latin?

Question

I'm taking into to both German and Latin. I've never taken either language, but I have so many varied interests, and I want to learn the basics of a few (ok, more than a few) different languages, but some people are saying that it's going to be too much for me. It's my second year in college, and I've been doing pretty well with grades and stuff, but people say that foreign language classes are different. I start my day with latin, and then I have to go down the hall to go to my german class... they both meet for an hour every day, is it really going to be too much? Do language classes give more homework than other classes?

Answer 1

there's a lot of memorization and study time to put into it. you'll need to be able to put aside enough time every day to use the languages. one language is hard enough for most people, two is going to be tougher, you might not have to worry about mixing them, but it would be completely dependent on how your mind works. you'll have to be organized and prepared. the tests aren't going to be the same in a language class as they are in say a math class, or at least they weren't for me.

Answer 2

My first college courses, more years ago than I care to consider, were in a summer session just after high school. I took both German and French a full normal year of each. I had German from 8:00 AM to 9:50 AM and French from 10:00 AM to 11:50 AM, Monday thru Friday. I had no problems - in fact, I think the intensity really helped. I did not have time to forget something before I had to use it again.

German and French are so different it's hard to mix up the two. That would not be a problem with Latin/German either, but I can see where it could be with Span/Port/Ital The only pairs.

The only thing that came out of my experience was later - when both native French and German speakers said I had an Alsatian accent.


Try it. I think you'll like it.

Answer 3

If you are willing to put in the effort to study both classes daily, and truly internalize the material, you will do fine.

Colleges go by this rule of thumb: for a C, you should spend on homework, every week, 3 hours per credit. For a B or A, add more time. I have yet to meet the professor who assigns more than an average of 3 hours per credit per week of homework. Some people waste this time on other endeavors, and manage to cheat themselves yet still get a higher grade.

Study every day, and review weekly, monthly, and before the midterm and final.

Use the languages actively every day. Speak to yourself in Latin about what you are doing. Say your vocabulary homework out loud. Learn songs in Latin and sing them. Read, without translating, some Latin every day.

Do the same for all the other languages you are learning.

When I was an undergrad, I was studying 3 languages at once, besides classes that were in English. I felt like I could barely speak English for awhile there, but I have a better understanding of all the languages than I would if I had not spent so much effort learning about the different ways people communicate the same ideas.

Answer 4

I'm a linguistics major and I've studied many many languages (over 30). I've also known many people who have taken foreign languages in college, (I'm going into my third year).
Most people who have languages within the same immediate family seem to have some trouble, especially at first when they can't tell the two a part (like Italian and Spanish, or Spanish and Portuguese).

Latin and German are related, but not directly, so you won't have a hard time telling them apart (I know, I've studied both, you can tell the difference).

As to whether or not it will be too tought or not. Well, that's up to you. If you think it will be hard, it will be. Language learning is about letting the words enter into your memory, not forcing them into it.
You could use www.Wordchamp.com to practice vocab if you like, and if you need any other help, you are more than free to contact me.

Answer 5

Well, they're both going to require a lot of memorization, since both languages are highly inflected. That means that nouns, adjectives, and pronouns all have different forms for 3 genders, 2 numbers; Latin has 5 cases, and German has 4.

If you have a very good memory, you'll probably do well. Otherwise, the languages are very different.

Can you start one language a semester later? Just a suggestion. Good luck!

Answer 6

some people find language studies very difficult, while others find them really easy.

even more strangely some people click with some languages, but not others.

i can speak two languages almost fluently, and another four well enough to use them successfully in holiday situations. but even though i studied german at school for over a year, and have visited germany regularly, i have never felt comfortable in the language.

german and latin are very different languages. maybe you will find them both easy, or perhaps you will find one much more accessible than the other.

give it a few weeks, see how it goes.

Answer 7

and if you want to learn german try to read http://www.zdeutsch.com.,