A Guide to Learning Latin

If you are one of those that initially scoffs at the idea of assigning overworked brain cells to the task of learning Latin, you should know you are not alone. Even though I have always had a fascination for classical education and its focus on early mental stimulation, I considered the study of Latin superfluous to the subject matter.

7 Reasons for Learning Latin

The idea of having my kids learn Latin was absolutely ludicrous, even a 5 yr. old can ask “where do they speak Latin?” and must be told that it is indeed a “dead” language. I was completely against the notion as I couldn’t see much use for it.

But, there was another very good reason for my reluctance to enroll my children in this study. Language is a very tedious topic to teach and if I were to enroll my children in this subject it would be imperative that I also study Latin. So, intellectual laziness was my second reason.

But, before you begin thinking this article is a slam on reviving this classic language, let me explain what changed my Motherly mind for the better. Many of today’s leading intellectuals suggest learning Latin makes for a well-rounded approach to knowledge and information and you can easily get a Latin tutor online with the availability of the internet.

English Vocabulary –– learning Latin can be a important part of better using the English language effectively. Were you aware that over 60% of the words we are using were born from this ancient language and 90% of all 2-syllable words contain a Latin component? The other week I was having a conversation that mentioned octuplets. My 8-year-old’s mouth dropped open and he said “That sure is a lot of babies all at one shot!”

I asked if he knew how many babies were in a set of octuplets and was immensely proud of his educated answer. “Well ‘octo’ is Latin for eight, mother! So a set of octuplets must include eight children.” Amazing, my kid’s English vocabulary is already improving with the addition of Latin culture.

Foreign Languages – Knowing Latin can give your child a leg up ion learning many other languages that have their roots in this ancient language. There are many languages that share Latin words, phrases and structures, and knowing Latin can make an excellent first step to mastering them all. Of course this is especially true with the Romance languages “Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian”. If you speak Latin, you already know about 80% of any one of those languages and all that is needed is a bit of pronunciation and other minor differences.  

Latin Grammar –– many scholars will argue that Latin grammar is structured far more effectively than the grammar we learn for English. By understanding the formation of Latin Grammar, the student also obtains a more enlightened perspective on understanding and using English Grammar Effectively.

Increase Standardized Test Scores – studies have shown that a student’s scores on several major tests greatly improve after immersion in the Latin language. On the SAT scores, a profile shows that students with an understanding of Latin are more likely to improve their score than those studying French, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew or German. Students who speak Latin surpassed the scores of all the other students for seven years in a row and shown other high levels of performance as well.

Key to the Past – those who speak Latin have an uninterrupted access to some of history’s greatest scholars and scientific minds. This allows the student to study pieces of classical literature without the interpretations that can taint the final products.

Foundation of Sciences, Logic, Theology, and Law – Latin is the language of the erudite and many of today’s most important studies like Law, Politics, theology and ethics are based on many Latin terms and terminology.

Intellectual Discipline – as a language, Latin contains a precision that demands mental discipline. When studied carefully, this precision has an impact of other areas of academic and professional pursuits.