Newsletter

For my project I started learning Latin. I used the Wheelock’s Latin curriculum by Frederic M. Wheelock and Richard A LaFleur. Mastering a language is a process that can take years, so I wasn’t expecting to completely master Latin in the course of this project. My goal for the project was simply to dive into the language and get as far as I could through the curriculum.

I’m majoring in history and in graduate school I’m planning on emphasizing in Greek and Roman history. Alongside Latin, I am also learning Greek. As I have studied these two languages I have seen more into the unique cultures of the ancient world. Not only has studying Latin and Greek helped me prepare for my graduate studies it has also given me more depth in my current studies and educational pursuits.

I’ve always had a passion for languages, however I actually went through several different project ideas before I decided to start learning Latin. After I started learning Greek I realized the value that learning ancient languages added to my studies. I began looking into learning Latin, and after finding that it wasn’t currently offered at SUU I decided to start learning it on my own. That’s when the idea of using Latin for my EDGE project came about--it would give me the motivation, structure, and support I needed in order to start learning Latin.

During my project I had a few challenges along the way. The main issue for me was setting a schedule for my project. In order to retain language skills it’s vital to practice every day. During the first little bit of my project I was studying sporadically without a strict schedule--after realizing that I wasn’t retaining as much as I would like to with the sporadic schedule I decided I would change things around. Once I got into a regular schedule I was able to progress more.

Another challenge I faced is that at the beginning of the project I had a fairly large support system--there was a group of students that wanted to learn Latin with me--but after a few weeks it fell through and I was on my own. It was difficult not to have other people to practice with, but in the end I just upped my study time and made the best of it.  

As of right now my project hasn’t been a huge benefit to others. However, now that I’ve started learning Latin I’m in a position to help others that want to start learning it as well. I know that learning a language can be a difficult process, so I want to be able to help others going through the same process when the opportunity presents itself.

Learning Latin has helped give me insight into the Roman people, their culture, and their way of life. It has given depth to my studies and has helped prepare me to further my studies in graduate school. The process of learning Latin has also helped teach me the value of sticking to a schedule and being consistent when studying a language. The last huge benefit to learning Latin was being able to learn more about English. It was incredible to see the connections between Latin and English--my understanding of English roots has increased incredibly and I have started to look at words and sentence structures differently after learning Latin.

“Today I found several different Latin roots in English! The word “agrarian” comes from the Latin word  “ager” meaning field or farm, and the word “valid” comes from the latin word “valeo” meaning “to be good or strong.”

“It’s been really difficult since I stopped studying with a group, but I think I’m finally getting into a schedule and progressing at a rate I’m happy with!”