Latin Three:
Salvete omnes, and welcome to Latin III! For centuries, a knowledge of Latin
was the basic foundation of an education, as its learning emphasizes critical
thinking, analysis, precision, discipline, communication skills, and intellectual rigor.
As students, you continue a great tradition of learning stretching back to the
Romans themselves.
This year, we will focus on a variety of new grammatical forms and constructions.
These include special clauses with “ut” and “cum,” the passive voice, the future
tense, deponent verbs, and gerundives. We will also examine some common Latin
word formations, such as the agentive form in –tor/-trix. Finally, we will begin to
read proper Latin itself, as the Romans wrote it, in a variety of authors and genres.
We will also cover a several topics involving the Romans themselves, the world they
lived in, and their legacy to the present. While the language of instruction will be
English, an active use of spoken language is strongly encouraged, with an emphasis
on effort over accuracy. As the old Roman proverb goes,
Fortis cadere, cedere non potest.
The brave may fall, but cannot yield.
Required books:
Textbooks:
Cambridge Latin Course, Unit III
Fabulae Graecae
Latin Poetry for the Beginning Student
Dictionary:
The Bantam New College Latin Dictionary
Expectations:
RESPECT. All of us come from different experiences, with different viewpoints and
different frames of reference. Rather than seeing these as opposed, we should look
at our differences as complementary opportunities for learning. On a simple, basic,
human level, respect is expected towards all.
FOLLOW THE CASES; DON’T MAKE IT UP. There is a tendency for students to
attempt to “get an answer” immediately, to look at the lexical meaning of the words
and try to come up with something that “makes sense,” as opposed to doing the
work of following the cases and the rules. As your teacher, I am more interested in
the process than the answer. Translate according to case and the rules, not
according to “what makes sense.” This is the fundamental difference between
English and Latin, and it cannot be emphasized enough: translate according to case,
nothing else.
KNOW YOUR ENDINGS. PERIOD. Students are responsible for knowing their noun
and verb endings, as we learn them, period. This will be heavily reviewed in the
beginning of the year.
KNOW YOUR VOCABULARY, INCLUDING PRINCIPLE PARTS. Vocabulary is to be
memorized along with its principle parts, and parts of speech. This is important for
two reasons: 1) it tells you what endings to stick onto what nouns, and 2) it tells us
the difference between nouns and verbs that might look the same in English. For
example, there is a difference between the noun lex, legis, f. – rule (as in, “I know the
rule”) and the verb rego, regere, rexi, rectus – to rule (as in, “I rule the kingdom”).
COMPLETE ALL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS, ON TIME, WITH EFFORT.
Homework is to be completed on time and according to the instructions of the
assignment. Credit will be given for effort more than for accuracy – do not be afraid
to make mistakes, or to be creative! The philosophy of this class is that homework is
where you try things out, class is where things are corrected, and tests are where
you must get it right. We learn from our mistakes; do not be afraid to make them.
ASK QUESTIONS, ASK QUESTIONS, ASK QUESTIONS! We learn through our own,
personal investigation. If you are confused, interested, lost or intrigued, ask
questions, and do not be afraid to ask questions, no matter how basic a question
may seem. One of the distinct advantages of a Latin education is that it forces us to
questions how we ourselves make and transmit meaning to others – these are
essential questions that can drive our learning to new and intellectually rewarding
heights.
Grading:
Projects – 15 %
Homework – 15 %
Quizzes – 30 %
Tests – 30 %
Class Participation – 10%