If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨
Options
Latin books
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hi guys,
wasn't quite sure were to put this so please move if needed
I want to teach myself Latin, and was just wondering if anyone could recommend any books or websites they found useful?
Thanks
wasn't quite sure were to put this so please move if needed
I want to teach myself Latin, and was just wondering if anyone could recommend any books or websites they found useful?
Thanks
Post edited by JustV on
0
Comments
We used the Cambridge Latin Course (which comes with teachers' books) but I would recommend Minimus as a more accessible version.
Moving away from the realms of schoolbooks, I've used Teach Yourself for other ancient languages and found it good, and Amo, amas, amat makes some of the grammar easier to get to grips with.
To get the full set would be expensive, so probably only worth it if you're serious about it, and have maybe tried things like Amo, Amas and Amat first to check you're going to properly get into it. That said, the set make a really good independant study course and is how I learnt a fair amount of my Greek.
Found a really good free website with loads of lessons and worksheets on it, and the guy even does tutoring over skype, going well so far
Thanks for the book recommendations I'll check them out!
The only thing that it would be useful for is if you wanted to study Classics - but even then, there's an ab initio course (from scratch) which takes an extra year and is aimed at people who haven't done A level Latin & Greek.
(And I used to work for a Cambridge admissions office)
If you're keen to get into a university then your best line of attack is to a) focus on doing well in your main stream school work b) try and get some basics in a modern language if you don't do one at school - a GCSE in a modern language used to be a basic entry requirement for many of the top universitys, that's changing slightly now it's no longer compulsory at secondary school and c) work on developing skills and interest beyond your normal class work in whatever it is you think you might want to study at uni.
I've always wanted to learn Latin, and it's just given me a real reason to focus on it. And my mums boyfriend is a university lecturer, and he said to me that he looks for things like Latin/D of E/volunteering... just thought it might be a good thing to do
Like Scary said have you thought about doing another language? One that can actually be spoken? I'm not sure, it just might be easier to stick with, and it can really open up doors, and show you're a good communicator.
I think (and sort of hope) that universities are getting on board with the idea that languages = important. I know schools no longer have to teach it (bad move in my opinion) but when I was applying UCL were moving towards applicants needing a GCSE in a modern foreign language. Just looked it up now - and all students need to have a language requirement but this can be done through the university once enrolled.
Having said all that, I don't want to put you off - just wanted to make sure you've covered all your options and it is definitely what you want!
I just want to learn Latin, whether it'll help me or not. I've looked into the courses I'd be interested in, I know the requirements.
I just wanted to learn Latin
No don't feel disheartened. If you have the motivation, and it is something you really want to do then go for it. I just got the impression that you were doing it for university, and if that was the case there may have been other options. If that's not the case then definitely go for it, as it doesn't matter whether it will help your application or not, and doing something self-taught shows real determination anyway, so if you're sure then definitely give it a shot
Just like the D of E. Even the teachers have said I wont be able to do it. No point
I still stand by what I said... So if it's something you really want to do I reckon you will be able to get there. If you keep things realistic and avoid putting too much pressure on yourself I'm sure you'll be able to make a good start
Why did they say that about DofE? Everybody should be able to do it.... Did they give a reason? PM me if you want, can't help on the Latin front but I'll try my best with this. And also remember that you don't have to do it through school. Many other organisations run it. And if for whatever reason you can't do it, it's still really great to have a mix of activities in your life, so volunteering, sport and a skill. That's what matters compared to some award. And also if you start now it'll be easier to pick it up later on as you'll already be doing all the requirements
If you show the same attitude in school that you've just shown here then it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that your teachers don't think you can do it - that doesn't mean however you shouldn't take the opportunity to prove them wrong. One option to go for D of E, and do Latin as your skill for D of E.
Unless they're worried about how you'd get on with your group for the expedition? I'm not sure...
On the subject of the Reading Latin books; they're Cambridge UP and whilst they're excellent they're not designed for self-teaching.
This is also bullshit. I went to Oxford and their pastoral care was outstanding. Of course it depends on the college, but the central disabilities and support office is really excellent.
Every teacher I've spoken to about it, including my mentor, has laughed and gone "YOU'RE doing the D of E?" As far as I've gathered, they don't think I'll make it to the expedition (which I might add is only going to be up a local hill with a group of 3 friends...) I asked my mentor why I couldn't do it, and he said I wouldn't be able to because of the physical (the extent of my self harm makes any physical activity difficult) and apparently I wont be any good at volunteering because of how low I get sometimes.
The other teachers have just taken the piss, like when I asked a PE teacher what sports clubs there are on Wednesdays he laughed and told me to join the boys full contact rugby club. I asked him what girls clubs there are and he told me I could join rugby or nothing and then walked away.
Can I please just make it clear as well, I know I don't need Latin. I've just been told, by university lectures and college teachers, that things like that will help me stand out.
It's something I've wanted to learn for a while. I know I don't need it to get into uni.
Also it will show you whether youve got the self motivation and self discipline to take it further.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/mn/search/?ref_=nb_sb_noss&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=learning%20latin&x=0&y=0&rd=1
Even with the independant study guide? I was assuming they followed a similar style to the Reading Greek course, which with the study guide seems to work pretty well for self teachinig.
They are good; I had the teachers' book for the Reading Latin book I used at uni, but I didn't find it the most accessible.
But I found the teaching at home aspect very difficult, learning in class slightly easier and learning in country the best (not sure how you'd do that for Latin though
Good luck to you
I used those, and thought they were very good. There's lots of free online stuff that's really helpful too.
There's cheap copies of the books on Amazon as well.
It sounds as though you have decided to learn Latin and do your DOE because you want to and they both sound like something you'd enjoy. It's great to have hobbies and something to work towards
With the Latin, if you decide to teach yourself rather than pay for lessons then it gives you the flexibility to try it out. There is also no time pressure; you can dip in and out when you want, and if you aren't feeling up to it one day then noone will mind. It sounds like a great thing to put your mind to, as long as you are concentrating on your other subjects too.
Your teachers sound very negative about the DOE which is disheartening for you. It's not nice for people to tell you you can't do something and if you want to work towards it then nothing should stop you. You sounded genuinely really excited about doing this, so try not to let other peoples' opinions get you down and go for it if you want to :thumb: As Kat_B said there are other places that you could work towards the award if your Teachers are being unsupportive, check out your local group here:http://www.dofe.org/takepart/
Good luck with doing both of these things, they sound really great!
LauraO
At Christ Church interview, the public schooly types had done Latin, most didn't like it and dropped it when they could- I expect the language teaching in the expensive schools isn't as up to scratch as the Entitleds would prefer....anyway but previous knowledge is v. v. useful, you swim through all the declension/case learning.
I started somewhere in November, might take the GCSE this year, also might have to up the work to a more feverish level if I want a worth-it grade. My teacher told me that the closing date for entries was March-ish.