Hawaii Pacific University
LAT 1100 Beginning Latin I Section ____
Semester and year, meeting times
Instructor: Name, contact information and other relevant information about the instructor.
Course description: This course is the first semester of a two-semester course devoted to an
introduction to the Latin language. By the end of the course, students will have been exposed to the
fundamentals of Latin grammar, enabling them to read Latin authors such as Plautus, Cicero, and
Virgil, among others. There will be special emphasis on grammar and word etymology.
Contrary to popular belief, Latin is not a dead language! It is the ancestor of many languages,
including the "Romance Languages" (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian), and has
influenced English as well. Historically, European writers were shaped by their training in the
language of Virgil and Cicero. Jerome's Latin translation of the Bible (the "Vulgate") was a continuous
presence within the Catholic church until the last century. Even today, across the country, students
are returning to Latin in the recognition that the benefits of studying this "dead" language are far
from esoteric. Latin is one of the best ways of exercising your analytical and logical muscles that you
will find in any university-level course.
If you are not afraid of regular homework, are willing to give your memory a good workout, are
willing to let go of some of your habits about thinking about grammar, then you will find the study of
Latin a rewarding adventure that will pay off—with dividends—in practically any other intellectual
endeavor.
Course prerequisite: None
General Education Requirement: This course is classified under the Communication Skills Theme and
meets the requirement for a course in Communication Skills C: Other Communication Skills Courses.
General Education Student Learning Outcomes and the Five Themes: HPU’s general education
curriculum is focused around five themes. This course emphasizes the Communication Skills Theme and
provides students with opportunities to achieve the following related general education student
learning outcomes.

Students will demonstrate appropriate uses of verbal, visual, dramatic, numeric and
graphic modes of presentation in various combinations. [CS 6] Students will learn the
“paradigm” (visual mnemonic devices) for declining Latin nouns of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,
and 5th declensions, in all five grammatical cases (nominative, accusative, genitive, dative,
ablative), and number (singular and plural)

Students will demonstrate critical reasoning in organizing thoughts, feelings, concepts,
and information for effective, clear, and accurate oral, written, non-verbal, visual, and
electronic communication. [CS 4] Vocabulary is foundational to communication in another
language. In the process of learning Latin vocabulary, students will be introduced to
principles of etymology—that is, to the critical analysis of the roots of English (as well as
Latin) words. Oral and written techniques of reinforcement will be used.

Analyze the way we construct meaning and communicate it to others. [C S 7] By parsing
verbs, students will be encouraged to apply grammatical matrices to the analysis of verbs.
In so doing, they will gain a critical insight into the function of verbs a sentence, and will
understand how changes in verb forms affect the meaning of the sentence.
The course also addresses the World Cultures Theme by providing students with opportunities to
achieve the following related general education student learning outcomes:

Develop the vocabulary and conceptual skills needed to appreciate or respond to
aesthetic activity from cultures other than one’s own. [WC 8] Through the reading of
adaptations of Plautus’ comedies, students will learn how Roman drama was an
outgrowth of the Athenian New Comedy of the 4th century and later, as well as how the
stereotypical characters of Roman comedy later influence European popular theater,
particularly the commedia dell’arte.
Note: Purple text shows places where specific course information must be filled in. Red text contains
explanatory notes to the instructor which should be deleted before using the syllabus. Blue explanations
above should be rephrased by the individual instructor to reflect the specific approach in that section of
the course.
Insert Your Own Student Learning Outcomes for LAT 1100 here
By the end of the course students will be able to:
For the rest of these required syllabus items see the details in the faculty handbook. Delete this note
once the syllabus is complete. For online courses there are some additional requirements given at this
link.
Texts List textbooks with ISBN’s and include this language as well
All textbook information (pricing, ISBN #, and e-books) for this course can be found on the HPU
Bookstore website: hpu.edu/bookstore.
If you have any questions regarding textbooks, please contact the HPU Bookstore at:
Phone:
Or e-mail:
808-544-9347
jyokota@hpu.edu
mmiyahira@hpu.edu
Assignments and mode of evaluation
Summary of important dates and deadlines (if the schedule is a separate document and due dates are
not given with the description of the assignments).
Class rules and policies (including regarding attendance, late work and academic dishonesty)
Schedule of events (may be attached separately)