ELEMENTARY LATIN I (LT1001)

You will be able to understand and read fluently written Latin at the level reached in the textbook.

You will be able to use Latin actively yourself, e.g. by writing easy Latin sentences.

You will improve your language learning skills through intensive experience with explicit and self-directed learning.

You will have a passive vocabulary of c. 1000 Latin words, i.e. you will know their meaning and understand them. You will also be able to learn new words effectively and make educated guesses about their meaning since you have understood basic principles of word formation and realized the presence of Latin in English, French and (depending on your language skills) possibly other modern languages.

You will have a good grasp of the grammar covered in the textbook, i.e. you will know the tables and be able to recognize (parse) the forms (morphology), you will understand how the words function together in order to form sentences (syntax), you will understand the meanings of the forms and the syntactic constructions (semantics), and you will also be able to explain the grammar of Latin sentences -- all this up at the level you have reached in your textbook.

Talking about grammar in this explicit way will enhance your understanding of grammar and the workings of language in general. You will have revised, or learned afresh, elementary grammar terms you can apply to your own language as well, and you will practice English grammar too. Such skills will enable you to communicate effectively about linguistic features of any text in which you are interested.

You will also enhance your reading and writing skills in English (or French or any other language you know). This is so because you will increase your Latinate vocabulary and will train to pay meticulous attention to linguistic detail, expressing your observations in precise word for word translations. Continuous comparison between Latin and the other languages you know will alert you to characteristic features and expressive means of each of them.

You will also enhance your ability to learn actively and independently in general and better understand your role as a learner: that it is you who do the learning, that learning is not done to you, and how you can take responsibility for both the content and the success of your learning.

You will become acquainted with elements of ancient Roman culture and the cultural influence of ancient Rome in our time. This learning goal will be achieved through discussion of the textbook readings, study of Latin vocabulary and in particular the etymology studies.

You will have widened your historical perspective on language and reflected on the phenomenon of language change. You will have learned about the Indo-European background of Latin and will recognize the presence of Latin in English, French or any other language you know and speak, also understanding the different ways by which Latin can come into a language. This learning goal will again be achieved mostly through etymology studies and our discussions of Latin vocabulary in the readings.

Local and Global Perspectives: Students will enhance their intercultural understanding of languages, cultures, and histories of local societies and the global issues to which these relate. (CCI LO1)

Exploring and Engaging Difference: Students will think critically about cultural and social difference; they will identify and understand power structures that determine hierarchies and inequalities that can relate to race, ethnicity, gender, nationhood, religion, or class. (CCI LO3)