Latin For Dummies

Clifford A. Hull, Steven R. Perkins

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781119874799
• eBook ISBN: 9781119874812
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Teaching Languages
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

Master the basics of a lyrical and useful language

Even though most people don't use Latin anymore, it used to be spoken by millions of people from across the ancient world. It later morphed into new languages we still use today!

In Latin For Dummies, you'll take a tour through the language of ancient Rome. Beginning with Latin you may already know, like " carpe diem " and " quid pro quo, " the book walks you through essential Latin grammar and everyday Latin phrases. It also explores how Latin shaped and molded modern languages, including English.

In this book, you'll find:

• Lessons to learn Latin grammar and vocabulary
• Practices for reading, translating, and composing Latin
• Tips to recognize commonly confused Latin words

Latin For Dummies proves that learning Latin, while challenging, can be fun and exciting too! It's perfect for first timers interested in the ancient language and anyone who wants to learn more about ancient Roman history and culture.

Part 1

Getting Started with Latin

IN THIS PART …

See the links between Latin and English

Master the basics of Latin grammar

Pose questions

Say "Hello" — and "Goodbye"

Chapter 1

You Already Know a Little Latin

IN THIS CHAPTER

Keeping Latin alive

Recognizing Latin derivatives and loanwords

Finding out about the Latin alphabet

Pronouncing Latin in a couple of ways

Take one look at Latin, and you might say, “That’s Greek to me!” You hear stories of demanding schoolmasters and are plagued by images of endless hours of memorization dancing through your head. After all, Latin is not the language of intellectual lightweights. It’s the language of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Vergil, Ovid, and St. Augustine. Intellectuals such as Thomas Jefferson and W.E.B. Du Bois, used it. And Leonardo da Vinci used Latin in his notes, even going so far as to write the words backwards so ordinary folks couldn’t read them. And in the movie Tombstone, Doc Holliday recognizes that his rival is an educated man just because he quotes the language of the Caesars.

“Noli timere!” the Romans would say. “Have no fear!” What do you think the children, gladiators, and working-class folks were speaking in those days? They used Latin, and so can you. In fact, you probably already know some Latin. This chapter takes a look at these familiar words and phrases. So relax, and enjoy this little jaunt back to the golden age of Rome.

Latin: Not as Dead as You May Have Hoped

An old rhyme about Latin goes like this: “Latin is a dead, dead language, as dead as it can be. It killed the ancient Romans, and now it’s killin’ me!” Well, Latin may have seemed deadly to the student who first penned those lines, but the rumors of Latin’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Latin was originally the language of a small group of people living in central Italy around the eighth century BCE. Eventually, those people — the citizens of a town called Rome — spread their culture and influence across the Mediterranean world, making Latin the common language for many nations in antiquity.

Wars, intrigue, and general decline led to the fall of the mighty Roman Empire in 476 CE, but Latin did not die with the last Roman emperor. People continued to write, read, and speak Latin for years. Although its use eve...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Part 1: Getting Started with Latin
• Part 2: Latin in Action
• Part 3: Latin in the Modern World
• Part 4: The Part of Tens
• Part 5: Appendices
• Index
• About the Authors
• Advertisement Page
• Connect with Dummies
• End User License Agreement