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24 August 2019

Latin for Graduate Students (LA 500)


Notices ►

 


General remarks

 

 

 

Overview: This course presents what must be understood about Latin in order to learn and use Latin.

 

Class meets: =

 

Required texts: None. Students must, however, have in-class access to William Whittaker's Words or another electronic or downloadable dictionary such as 'Lewis & Short' or 'SPQR'. See also Suggested Resources below.

 

Class format: Lecture and translation exercises. The goal is to have the grammar and syntax presented by the end of October, leaving November and early December free to practice using the techniques outlined.

 

Course grading: PASS/FAIL based on one's performance on various translation exercises to be completed outside of class and discussed in class. No midterm or final.

 

Course Outcome: Upon completion of this course the successful student will understand the structure of Latin necessary to appreciate standard theological expressions and to undertake further self-study as suited to his or her research needs.

 

SHMS Bulletin description: A basic knowledge of Ecclesiastical Latin sufficient to be able to translate basic scriptural and liturgical texts, and philosophical and theological statements (with the help of a lexicon) and to gain an enriched understanding of language structure. (This course is graded pass or fail.) 2 credits.

 

Additional remarks

This course assumes no prior study of Latin; its goal is to show students how to acquire a reading knowledge of Latin suitable for use in a Catholic, graduate, theological context.

 

A two-credit survey course is, of course, insufficient time to acquire enough Latin grammatical forms and vocabulary so as to approach Latin texts independently. Students should memorize as best they can the various forms encountered in this course (the benefits of doing so are many!) but they should especially strive to learn how to use the various translation tools and techniques discussed in this course.

Latin is not the way

ancient Romans spoke English,

it's the way ancient Romans spoke.

Grasp that and one has

the essence of the thing.

 

The differences between "Classical Latin" and "Ecclesiastical Latin" are real but usually exaggerated. This course inclines toward ecclesiastical usage (though the point is insignificant for student purposes).

Suggested resources

 

Bibliography

Students engaged in graduate level study of Ecclesiastical Latin should have access to these works:

 

  Richard Prior & Joseph Goldberg, 501 Latin Verbs Fully Conjugated [1995], (Barron's, 2° ed., 2008) 689 pp.

 

  John Collins (1937-2002), A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin [1985], (Catholic University of America, 1988) 451 pp., and John Dunlap, An Answer Key to Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin (Catholic University of America, 2006) 168 pp.

 

  Basil Gildersleeve (1831-1924), Gildersleeve’s Latin Grammar [1867], as revised by Gonzalez Lodge, (Dover, 2009) 546 pp.

 


Prayers

These prayers use prose prompts.

 

 

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

 

Pater Noster, qui es in cælis: sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a malo.

 

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.

 

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto; sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

 


Topic 01

 

Orientation

 

Concepts include: History, Fundamental Syntax, Parts of Speech

Read about it in Collins: n. a.

 

Basics

  • Peters, Ecclesiastical Latin, here.

Distinguishing Latin grammar and syntax from English grammar and syntax.

  • Latin is not English, Latin is not English, Latin is not English! Latin and English are not simply different languages in the way that, say, English and Spanish are different languages. Rather, Latin and English are different kinds of languages.

Identifying parts of speech.

 

Some learning techniques.

  • Peters, Basic Prayers in Latin, here.

  • Nuntii Latini, here.


Topic 02

 

Nouns

 

 

Concepts include: Declension, Number, Gender, Case.

Read about it in Collins, Chaps. 1, 2, 3, 15, 16, 19.

  • Handout, Nouns


Topic 03

 

Adjectives

Concepts include: Agreement, Degrees of Comparison

Read about it in Collins, Chaps. 4, 16, 28.

 


Topic 04

 

Verbs

Regular, Indicative

Concepts include: Number, Person, Tense, Conjugation

Read about it in Collins, Chaps. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13

  • Handout, Verbs (Regular)


Topic 05

 

Verbs

Irregular, Indicative

Concepts include: Number, Person, Tense, Conjugation

Read about it in Collins, Chaps. 3, 12, 17, 33, 34.

  • Handout, Verbs (Irregular)


Topic 06

 

Prepositions, Conjunctions,

& Adverbs

Concepts include: Literal and Metaphorical use, Degrees of Comparison

Read about it in Collins, Chaps. 1, 27.

 


Topic 07

 

Pronouns

Concepts include: Personal, Relative, Possessive

Read about it in Collins, Chaps. 10, 19, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29.

  • Chart, Relatives

  • Chart, Personals

  • Chart, Possessives

  • Peters, General Ecclesiastical Latin Charts, here.

  • Peters, Models for Using Relative Pronouns (Adjectival Phrases), here.


Topic 08

 

Key Syntax

Concepts include: English coincidence and conflict, Word Order, Dative of the Possessor, Power of the Ablative

 

Read about it in Collins, Chaps. 10, 19, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29.

 


Topic 09

 

"Curve Balls"

Concepts include: Deponents, Subjunctive, Imperative, Subject-Accusative, & Demonstratives

Read about it in Collins, Chaps. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30.

  • Handout, Demonstratives


Topic 10 et seq.

 

The Latin Sentence

Codex plerumque non definit ritus.

 

Ecclesiae Romanae Episcopus Collegii Episcoporum est caput, Vicarius Christi, atque universae Ecclesiae in terra Pastor.

 

Canones Codicis Ecclesiam latinam respiciunt.

 

Sanctus Petrus et ceteri Apostoli unum Collegium constituent.

 

Leges respiciunt futura non praeterita.

 

Plenam et supremam in Ecclesia potestatem Romanus Pontifex obtinet legitima electione.

 

Consuetudo est optima legum interpres.

 

Christifideles solliciti esse debent ut societas civilis libertatem parentibus agnoscat.

 

Officium ecclesiasticum sine provisione canonica valide obtineri nequit.

 

Ex divina institutione, inter christifideles sunt in Ecclesia ministri sacri.

 


 

Fuit quidam comes Imperatoris qui sedebat in domo sua et habebat quendam parvulum natum, et iacebat coram eo et non erat in domo alius praeter eum.

 

Misit autem Caesar et vocavit eum. Ille vero surrexit et ivit ad eum et reliquid cum infante canem, venatorem sagacem, inferius, qui canis iacebat iuxta puerum.

 

Et ecce serpens affuit et insurrexit in puerum. Cucurrit canis et praesit serpentem et obviavit supradicto domino. Os autem canis plenum erat sanguine.

 

Comes ille videns haec timuit propter filium et evanginato gladio interfecit canem.

 

Et vadens domum reperit puerum iacentem et serpentem mortuum iuxta eum, et vidit quod sine causa peremit canem et penituit facti

 


 Materials on this website represent the opinions of Dr. Edward Peters and are offered in accord with Canon 212 § 3.

This website undergoes continual refinement and development. No warranty of completeness or correctness is made.

Dr. Peters' views are not necessarily shared by others in the field nor are they intended as canonical or civil advice.

 

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