introduction to latin. why do we study latin? “it is not so much excellent to know latin, as it is...

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Introduction to Latin

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Page 1: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

Introduction to Latin

Page 2: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

Why do we study Latin?

“It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero

• For nearly 2,000 years, Latin was the language of the educated –the language of churches, governments, science (Sir Isaac Newton), nobles, musicians, and even poets.

Page 3: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

Background

• Greek is the sister language of Latin – an OLDER sister (ex: 5th century B.C. was the time of the writings of Sophocles, Euripedes)

• Latin did not reach its prime until the 1st and 2nd centuries B.C.

• As Latin developed, it borrowed from Greek and kept this up even after it became a fully developed language

Page 4: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

5 Major Ways Greek Influenced Latin

1. Roman Traders – business connections in the Greek-speaking near East (influenced merchandise)

2. Roman soldiers – returned from years of service in Greece, Egypt, Syria

3. Wealthy young Romans – tutored by a Greek slave, schooled at the University of Athens (influenced mathematical and philosophical terms)

Page 5: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

5 Major Ways Greek Influenced Latin

4. Roman gentlemen – spoke Greek as fluently as Latin – a variety of Greek expressions present in Latin conversation

5. Rise of Christianity – brought into Latin a whole new group of Greek words – including religious and technical

Page 6: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

Today…

• Over 800,000 words in the English language• More than 50% are of Latin origin; 11% have

come through classical Greek• Some estimates will go higher as scientists and

technicians turn again and again to these two languages to develop words

Page 7: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

So, why do we study Latin AFTER Greek?

• Latin derivatives are more difficult than the Greek because meanings may be less apparent and less sharply defined

• In general: Greek roots provide KEYS to meanings, Latin roots provide CLUES.

• Ex: alphabet : alpha + beta (names of the first and second letters of the Greek alphabet which were used to make the Latin word alphabetum.)

Page 8: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

Alphabet

• From the Greek alphabet, Latin also borrowed: K, Y, Z to use in spelling Greek words

• During the Middle Ages, j replaced the Latin I used as a consonant (before that, I was used both as a consonant and a vowel).

• Letters U and V were originally used in Latin without distinction. Later, V came to denote the consonant and U the vowel.

Page 9: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

Derivation

is the process of tracing a word from its source.

Latin words have become English by…1. Being taken over unchanged (area, radius)2. Dropping the Latin ending

form < forma (shape)laud < laudere (to praise)

3. By dropping the ending and adding a silent “e”: fam – e fortun - e

Page 10: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

Latin words have become English…

4. By way of another language:savage from L. “silva” via F. “savage”isle from L. “insula” via F. “ile”

Prefix (L. prae+fixum, fastened before) – one or more syllables placed before the root of a word to modify the meaning of the root

Page 11: Introduction to Latin. Why do we study Latin? “It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero For nearly 2,000

Continued…

Root – the basic part of the word

Suffix (L. sub+fixum, fastened from under) one or more syllables placed after the root to modify its meaning.