Why study Latin — or any language for that matter? For one, I’m lately finding several things I would like to read but have not been translated into English. Further, I’m becoming more cynical about translations in general — you really are at the mercy of the translator when it comes to interpretation. And language study in general is brain training.
As for Latin specifically: If you have even a basic knowledge of Latin, you will most likely be able to decipher the meaning of almost any word in any language, with a few exceptions.
Want to study Latin, but don’t know where to start? One of THE Latin texts is Wheelock’s Latin, in its seventh edition as of this writing. Just reading the text and doing the exercises is not, as you will soon discover, sufficient. This list is compiled from several sources, including the Wheelock’s FAQ from the Latin Study list and the discussion there.
- Read the chapter in Wheelock’s Latin.
- If you need to brush up on some of the grammar, do the appropriate lessons in English Grammar for Students of Latin (EGSL) by Norma W. Goldman.
- Practice the vocabulary. If you want to use flashcards, you can make up your own or you can buy them (Vocabulary Cards and Grammatical Forms Summary for Wheelock’s Latin by Richard A. LaFleur).
- Practice the pronunciations.
- Read the chapter in A Comprehensive Guide to Wheelock’s Latin (CGWL) by Dale A. Grote and do the exercises.
- Do the Self-Tutorial exercises in the back of Wheelock’s Latin.
- Do the Exercitationes (EX) exercises in Wheelock’s Latin.
- Do the Sententiae Antiquae (SA) in Wheelock’s Latin.
- Do the translations (TR) in Wheelock’s Latin.
- Do the chapter in 38 Latin Stories by Anne H. Groton and James M. May (G&M) OR
- Do the chapter in Scribblers, Sculptors, and Scribes by Richard A. LaFleur (SSS).
- Do the exercises in the Workbook for Wheelock’s Latin.
