LANG 514/LATN 314: LATIN II. (MW. 9.30 – 10.45 CAS B28C) SPRING 2012.
Adrian Saunders
Office: SOS 131
asaunders@ku.edu.tr
Office hours: All day Tuesday of by appointment.
Introduction.
This course fulfils in part the language requirement for the degree of MA in the program
offered by the Department of Archaeology & History of Art, in the College of Social
Sciences & Humanities. Students are required to complete at least two semesters of
language study, in order to provide basic background, and in the case of those going on to
undertake historical research, to provide a firm foundation for future study in the
language of the original source material.
Required texts:
Frederic Wheelock: Wheelock’s Latin. (NY. 2005. 6th edition, rev. Richard A. LaFleur).
Available in the library reserve. We will at times be using this work selectively.
Supplementary materials.
Workbook for Wheelock’s Latin
Lewis and Short. A Latin Dictionary.
The Oxford Latin Dictionary. Ed. Glare.
B.L.Gildersleeve and Gonzalez Lodge: Latin Grammar. St, Martin’s Press. 1980.
Benjamin Hall Kennedy: A Revised Latin Primer.
Course Goals:
The course is designed to help you continue to develop proficiency in reading Latin texts,
and to give you access to a language constantly encountered in the field in inscriptions
and on coins. This goal means that you will continue to acquire linguistic knowledge and
skills, namely a greater grasp of morphology and syntax. As we will be supplementing
the course-book with a wide range of original texts from all periods and of all genres, you
will develop an understanding of the wealth of the culture that produced these texts in
Latin.
The textbook that we will be using has been long known for its thoroughness,
organization and conciseness, introducing the language in a logical, but lively manner.
Owing to the use of original texts in addition, the student will therefore be exposed to
authentic language from the very beginning, rather than to the artificial style of ‘madeup’ sentence favoured in the past. The course thus avoids the dryness of the more
traditional approach to the subject and presents a wide variety of texts covering every
aspect of Roman life, not neglecting the lively culture that persisted through the medium
of Latin well into the Renaissance.
Preparation for class:
Although these remarks were made in the previous syllabus for Latin I, they are worth
repeating here. ‘Learning a language can be defined as a cumulative process, as forms
and concepts build on one another and acquired knowledge is constantly reinforced
through practice and repetition. Therefore it is essential that you spend time every day
reviewing vocabulary and grammar and re-reading the passages given in the textbook.
Weekly homework assignments will be given as well as frequent surprise quizzes. It
must be stressed that steady progress is the key to assuring retention and acquiring
mastery of the Latin language. Do NOT allow yourself to fall behind at any time and ask
for help BEFORE you feel you are slipping. The instructor is always available and will
regard no such request as trivial. Be very careful not to neglect your studies during breaks
and vacations. As Latin is no longer spoken, what you have laboriously acquired will be
lost swiftly through neglect.’
Expectations
Students are expected during the class, to concentrate on developing independence in
study skills, and to familiarize themselves with the reference literature available. The
course is as much a preparation for further research as an exercise in language
acquisition.
Course requirements and grading:
40% Homework assignments and quizzes.
30% Midterm examination.
30% Final examination.
The course will be moderated and grades will be awarded in accordance with the
academic regulations set out in the Koç University Handbook.
Academic Honesty
Attention is drawn to the regulations covering Academic Integrity as set out on page 62
of the current University Handbook and catalogue. All University policies will be strictly
applied in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Handbook.
Course content:
The material to be covered this semester includes the following:
a) The passive voice.
b) The third declension.
c) The subjunctive.
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
Indirect statement.
Indirect commands.
Final and concessive clauses.
The ablative absolute.
Temporal clauses.
Conditional sentences
Throughout the course emphasis will be placed on acquiring a solid working vocabulary.
At the end of the course, students should be able to tackle basic unedited narrative
passages from such authors as Caesar, Julius Frontinus and Valerius Maximus, and will
have examined some mediaeval historiographical writing. Some poetry will be included –
simple selections from Horace and Catullus, together with some pieces from the
mediaeval repertory. Students who do well in the course should be ready to read texts in
extenso during Latin III.
TIPS FOR LEARNING LATIN
 Do your studying in relatively small chunks – ca. 40 – 60 mins. This way you will
retain more. Little and often – festina lente..
 Practice saying new words out loud and writing them
 Keep a well organized vocabulary note-book that you can refer to easily.
 When learning vocabulary, practise conjugating new verbs and declining new
verbs and adjectives.
 Practise using new vocabulary in simple sentences so that you get used to seeing
the word in context.
 Get used to using the Latin Dictionary – explore it to find out how it works and
what information it gives.
 Review old vocabulary and grammar before doing the written homework
assignments.
 Re-read an old reading passage to get you thinking Latin before attempting the
homework.
 Read a new passage for content first, guessing at words you don’t know and
looking for key words to help you unravel the meaning.
 Always read passages out loud, trying to recognize units of sense. Don’t forget
that Latin was also a spoken language.
 Don’t read a passage just once. Always look at it several times to let the meaning
gradually sink in.
 Finally: DON’T PANIC!! The language can look like an overwhelming mass of
detail at first and it is quite normal for students not to get the grammar and
vocabulary at the first try. Soon, as the language accumulates, you will begin to
see how the language works according to broader principles. In other words, you
will begin to understand how Latin works.
 Above all, enjoy yourself! Latin and its culture are fascinating – surely the best
reason for learning them.
ANCIENT ROME ON-LINE
Among the thousands of sites on the web the following are particularly useful to the
serious student:
Forum Romanum: an evolving digital library covering Ancient Rome that includes
images, texts, maps, essays, on-line dictionaries, and much more. This site is highly
recommended for students of Roman art, archaeology, history, literature and language.
The British Academy Portal: gives access to a wide range of links covering everything
from Ciceroniana to architecture, texts to Latin palaeography.
Witcombe’s Resources for Art History: gives access to a huge range of images from
the art of all periods – including magnificent coverage of the ancient world.
The Latin Library and Bibliotheca Augustana provide a fine and growing range of
complete texts ranging from the earliest remains to the present day.
Textkit has a wide range of textbooks that can be downloaded free of charge, including
some of the classics no serious student can afford to be without.