Question:
I'm a Korean student.
As you know many western laguages are based on Latin.
So I'd like to learn some Latin. But no one in Korea seems
to be interested in learning Latin. I've searched the city library
but there was no book about Latin laguage.
So I've decided to learn on the internet. But I found no site
which contains basic things.
I'm a begginer of Latin and I don't know anything about Latin.
Therefore I need a site where I can find basic things.
If you know any site like that, please tell me.
Answer:
I, too, like using the Internet, when possible.
However, for Latin, I would suggest using a text book. I taught
myself first year college Latin (having not had the opportunity to
study Latin in high school) using The Lingua Latina series. My copies
are over 20 years old -- it shows the author to be Hans H. Oerberg,
The Nature Method Institutes (Copenhagen).
Not everyone does well with this method. I use the more traditional
approach to teaching / learning Latin, the Ecce Romani series, in
teaching beginning Latin to my children. Ecce Romani is used by the
better private schools, as well as the academic magnet middle and high
schools, where I live. Ecce Romani; Longman Publishing Group; White
Plains, NY 10606. The text books provide useful study exercises. I
also recommend getting the accompanying workbooks.
Along with either or both of these sources, naturally you will need to
get a good Latin -- English dictionary. A reference book of just verb
and noun forms is also useful. (I had a great one in college -- can't
remember the publisher / editor, but it was about 5 x 8 inches, and
black, hard cover. (anyone help?) My second son wore it out during
his use of it in high school Latin.)
There are probably numerous sources online for ordering these books.
Sorry, I don't know of any offhand -- I buy them from a local text
book depository.
One important suggestion: The professor who advised me on how to get
started with my self study stressed the importance of reading aloud.
I cannot emphasize this enough. Traditionally, the reading aloud /
speaking of Latin, especially in the introductory levels, was not
emphasized enough, since Latin was not a "modern" (spoken) language.
No wonder so many students had such trouble with learning Latin!
Read aloud! It will help you learn. The pronunciation rules are very
uniform, and there are no sounds unusual for the speaker of English.
Probably the most difficult thing for most students is to learn to
pronounce the "v" as a "w".
Plus, if you continue with Latin, the reciting will become important
as you get to the more advanced material / poetry.
Having taken my professor's advice about frequent reading aloud of
Latin, and having had years of Spanish (spoken, of course) prior to
Latin, I was at a distinct advantage, later. When I enrolled in
college second year Latin (and beyond), I had probably the most
experience in speaking Latin (or any foreign language) in the class,
even though there were students far more skilled in the grammar and
vocabulary than I.
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