|
Tamarack Christian Latin |
18 apr 2024 |
|
Notices |
|
|
Quick Links |
|
Overview |
Tamarack Christian Latin is the title under which I assist, free-of-charge, those who wish to learn Latin. Over many decades I have helped a variety of persons, from young children to senior citizens, with or without previous Latin study, to advance in their understanding and use of Latin.
My Latin instructional services are generally of two types: tutoring individual learners or students enrolled in a seated classroom; and, coaching of students enrolled in the on-line courses offered by Dr. David Noe and based on Hans Ørberg's Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata (1965/2010), as discussed below. I also assist with certain kinds of translation projects.
I approach Latin as a 'living language', that is, as a language that can be used as would any other even if, admittedly, it needs to be acquired largely by study. If this approach to Latin interests you, read on! Skip to Latin FAQs.
|
|
Tutoring is arranged on a case-by-case basis and usually takes place in-person (especially
with beginners) and/or by Facetime/Zoom (especially with more advanced learners).
Electronic sessions must be conducted from a place that is quiet -- so, no little brothers practicing the banjo while we work on Latin in the same room. Note, remote sessions from cell phones are often inconvenient; I highly recommend (and might insist) on learners using a laptop or a stable ipad, as I do. I usually recommend that each in-person lesson be supplemented by a
Facetime/Zoom session that same week.
Parents may observe tutoring sessions, in person or on-line, at any time. Indeed, if tutoring takes place in my home (Saline, MI), a parent or guardian must be present during the session -- so, no dropping off junior while mom runs to the grocery store. Please note, observers are not students and may not participate in sessions. I am very happy to talk with parents outside of sessions.
I currently work with three kinds of students: Independent Learners, St.
Joseph Classical Support, and St. Thomas Classical School. Generally
individual sessions are best for beginning or intermediate students but
I will consider group sessions if everyone agrees. |
I never taught anyone Latin but I have helped many people learn it. |
|
)
),
), and 
). More info on these sites,
(2) enrolling in the pre-recorded Latin instruction course developed by Dr David Noe (info here) and then using the SJC Latin time for coaching help from Dr. Peters with it;
(3) utilizing one of the many good on-line or book-based Latin learning systems and then using SJC Latin time with Dr. Peters for general assistance with it.
Students signed up for SJC Latin Tutoring must be following one of these three programs for their basic instruction but, whichever approach to Latin parents choose, the SJC Latin Tutoring session will assist your child with that program.
If you are interested in Option 1, contact Dr. Peters directly to arrange for a face-to-face time slot in Fall 2024; for Option 2, contact Dr. Noe directly to sign up (contact link coming); and, for Option 3, browse the various other programs and feel free to contact Dr. Peters for thoughts on the program(s) you are considering but, in any case, sign up for some program and let Dr. Peters know what program you chose when you enroll in SJC Latin Tutoring.
Oh, by the way – to save some folks asking – Duolingo Latin can be used as a supplement for Latin learning. I do not recommend relying on it as the basis of instruction (this, despite my being a fan of Duolingo for modern languages!)
Winter 2024. Wednesdays, 1:16 pm to 2:00 pm. Only two classes left.
♦ Q. Adjutor. Progress page, here. ♦ Justinius Fortis. Progress page, here. ♦ Franciscus Rex. Progress page, here. ♦ Iohannes Magnus. Progress page, here.
Prayers. Easter Hymn at the Angelus:
Regina cæli, lætare, alleluia, quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia, resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia; ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia!
• (a) Pater noster, qui es in cælis: sanctificetur nomen tuum; advéniat regnum tuum; fiat vóluntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra. (b) Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hódie; et dimitte nobis débita nostra, sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed líbera nos a malo. (Recording, here.)
•
(a) Ave Maria, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.
•
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto; sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,
• Bénedic, Dómine, nos, et hæc tua dona, quæ de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen. (Recording, here.)
Phrases. • Salve/salvete. Vale/valete. • Pax Christi.
Classroom terms: Quomodo dicitur? Quid significat? Ubi est? Tibi gratias. Quomodo vales? Bene. Male.
|
|
|
Other learning projects include(d) |
2024. Athanasian Creed. May 2024. 2023. Saturnalia Nostra. Ritchie's Perseus, here. 2023. Prima H. Hevenesi, Scintillae, here; Ruaeus, here. 2022. Prima H. Christmas. Abelard, Expositio Orationis Dominicae, here. 2022. Fratres Franciscani. Vitae et Constitutiones, texts.
|
|
Awards |
Students in tutoring may obtain awards for their awork in any order. In recitation either classical or ecclesiastical pronunciation is acceptable but pronunciation must be accurate (not fastidious, of course, but not sloppy or done in fits and starts).
|
|
In consultation with its director, I provide 'coaching' for the excellent program "Learn Latin with Dr. David C. Noe". This course is complete in itself but some students might find interacting with a 'coach' helpful toward making better use of Ørberg's text, Noe's recorded materials thereon, and their on-line time with him.
|
|
Overview of Dr. Noe's course and LLPSI
|
Dr. Noe's discussions of his "Learn Latin" program are: General announcement,
here; Program overview,
here; and snippet,
here.
Ecce liber vivens! I describe Noe’s Latin program as a “living textbook”. He starts with a classic text, Ørberg's Lingua Latina, a work respected by teachers and students for more than 50 years. His recorded presentations on Ørberg are not simply videos of classroom lectures, but rather, are 'reality shows' wherein students actively engage the text under Noe’s direction which itself is given in Latin and English. Finally, in office hours via Zoom students can join him and other learners for live interaction, all of which Noe supplements with personal written feedback in the form of homework, quizzes, and tests.
The first Ørberg text, Familia Romana, is the only book required for the four modules of Noe's basic program. Students ordering it directly from Hackett Publishing will be given a discount code. Generally one needs a least a year, and usually more like one-and-a-half to two years, to complete all four modules of the program. The book gets a lot of use so consider a hardback copy. There are follow-up texts for Ørberg (Familia Romana is called "Vol. I" for a reason!), but by the time students are ready for later volumes they will no longer need program overviews from me.
There are many independent endorsements of Ørberg's Lingua Latina out there but those from Luke Ranieri (Fellow, Ancient Language Institute), here, and Dr. Nancy Llewellyn (Belmont Abbey College), here, seem especially insightful.
|
Ørberg, Lingua Latina, vol I, Familia Romana
It's an open secret that
pretty much every teacher who uses
more Latin by doing so. I know I have. |
|
Additional Notes on Noe's program
|
Noe’s Latin learning program is available to the general public. One need not be enrolled in a seated school or learning cooperative, let alone have access to a coach, to use it.
This program, sold in four separate modules, is complete in itself. One can simply sign up, buy the book, and dive in. Many do exactly that. Students join Noe’s program throughout the year so there is a spectrum of learners in terms of (beginner/intermediate) skill levels, ages, and so on.
By the way, the students in Noe’s recorded lectures are “adults” but one needs to keep in mind that, when it comes to language studies, basically anyone out of single digit years is considered an “adult”. While maturity levels vary, of course, from the early teens to the early twenties the brain’s basic aptitude for language acquisition seems pretty much the same across those years. -- And no, no one is 'too old' to start Latin studies (long story omitted).
On its own, Noe’s system is self-paced. Students may progress at whatever rate they wish. There is no cohort they need keep up with or be slowed down by. Alternatively, schools, learning cooperatives, or parents can adopt this book as their instructional text, have their students watch Noe's recorded discussions of each chapter and access his office hours for extra help if they wish, and then supplement (or not) Noe's program with whatever additional material they might choose (e. g. , prayers, paradigm practice, conversational exercises, historical asides).
Note that students purchase Noe's program directly from him, even if they are enrolled in a school or learning cooperative, and as a result they individually receive the "life-time access" benefit that Noe includes in his program. Directors of schools or learning co-ops can be in touch with Noe about possible group discounts for their members, but the program itself is marketed to individual students.
|
Dr. David Noe is a credentialed Classicist and was ordained in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. He and his wife home-school their four children. His résumé is here.
+
LPD is a terrific resource from Noe for intermediate-to-advanced Latinists. Free.
|
|
How is Latin different from, say, Spanish or French? English, Spanish, and French are different languages, sure, but they are essentially the same kind of language (fascinating explanation of analytic languages omitted). Latin, in contrast, is not just a different language it is also a different kind of language, one that expresses ideas not just in different words (as do Spanish or French) but in fundamentally different ways (fascinating explanation of synthetic languages omitted). As students come to see the linguistic differences between Latin and English they start to realize that there are many ways to express human thoughts and that the wonderful languages we grew up with are not the only ways that ideas can be expressed and people can communicate.
Are there two kinds of Latin?
Yes, but the differences between so-called "Church Latin" and "Classical
Latin" are usually exaggerated when it comes to grammar, syntax, and
vocabulary.
How young is too young to start Latin? Because Latin is, before anything else,
a language it is never too early to begin learning it but obviously the techniques used must be suitable to the student's age.
I find that younger children are able to learn considerable Latin if it
is presented indirectly (e. g. , in songs, by games, through prayers)
while junior high school aged children, and certainly high-schoolers and
beyond, benefit more by direct instruction.
Does memorization play a role in learning Latin today? Unquestionably yes. Notwithstanding the fact that Latin is a language and, like any language, it can be acquired by immersion, true immersion environments for Latin are nearly nonexistent now. This lack of Latin immersion opportunities is ameliorated, however, by combining the memorization of Latin vocabulary and forms with such living usage opportunities as do exist. Further discussion of Latin memorization and charts to track one's memorization of key forms and phrases are available
here.
|
What differences
do exist largely come down to pronunciation and 'accents'. The pronunciation system that I and nearly all Catholic institutions use is "Christian" or "Italianate" or "Ecclesiastical" Latin. That used by Dr. Noe (and nearly all secular educational institutions) is "Classical" or "Restored". Both pronunciation systems have good arguments in their favor and neither Noe nor I insist that students use one system over the other. Good Latinists can move between both. See, e. g. ,
Who is the patron saint of Latinists?
|
|
Don't worry about studying Latin! If you can understand English you have more than enough brain power to understand Latin because Latin is actually simpler than English and (unlike English) it almost always follows its rules. Americans often complain that Latin is hard to learn but, I assure you, Cicero himself, the greatest Latinist in history, would have found English, the language you use effortlessly, to be a hopeless mess—in part because it is a mess, not that we don't love it anyway! :) So, procedamus in pace! |
|
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. |
staging
|
Resources |
Learning.
First thoughts, here. Kinds of words, here. Notes on sentences, here.
Nouns – Basics, here. Nouns – Declensions, here.
Pronouns – Basics, here. Pronouns – Personal, here. I°, II°.
Pronouns
– Personal,
here. I°, II°, III°.
Pronouns
– Relative,
here.
Adjectives – Basics, here.
Participles, here.
Verbs – Basics, here. Verbs – Regular, indicative, here. Verbs – esse, indicative, here.
Adverbs – Basics, here.
Prepositions – Basics, here.
Conjunctions – Basics, here.
Interjections – Basics, here.
Vocative case and Imperative mood, here.
Descartes' Maxim.
Roman numerals, here.
Res Romanae, here.
qui, quae, quod,
hic, haec, hoc,
ille, illa, illud,
is, ea, id,
ipse, ipsa, ipsum,
[=], sui,
(possessives),
iste, ista, istud,
Phrases.
• Pax Christi. • Ubi caritas Deus ibi est. • De Maria numquam satis. • Inítium sapiéntiae timor Dómini. • Repetitio est mater studiorum! • Non tam praeclarum est scire Latine quam turpe nescire.
Other.
• In princípio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum. • Non nobis, Dómine, sed nómini tuo da glóriam Ps. CXV. • Salve/salvete. Vale/valete. • Quomodo vales? Bene. Male.
• Non nobis, Dómine, here (film), and here (precision). Non nobis, Dómine, sed nómini tuo da glóriam Ps. CXV.
Basic prayers.
• In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen. (Recording, here.)
•
(a) Ave Maria, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.
• (a) Pater noster, qui es in cælis: sanctificetur nomen tuum; advéniat regnum tuum; fiat vóluntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra. (b) Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hódie; et dimitte nobis débita nostra, sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed líbera nos a malo. (Recording, here.)
•
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto; sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,
Other prayers.
• Bénedic, Dómine, nos, et hæc tua dona, quæ de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen. (Recording, here.)
•
(a) Credo in Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem cæli et terræ. (b) Et in Iesum Christum,
Fílium eius únicum, Dóminum nostrum, qui conceptus est de Spíritu Sancto, natus ex Maria
Vírgine, passus sub Póntio Pilato, crucifixus, mórtuus, et sepultus, descendit
ad ínferos, tértia die resurrexit a mórtuis, ascendit ad cælos, sedet ad déxteram Dei Patris omnipotentis, inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mórtuos. (c) Credo in Spíritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclésiam cathólicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam æternam. Amen. (Recording,
here.)
• Dómine Jesu, dimitte nobis débita nostra, salva nos ab igne inferni, perduc in caelum omnes ánimas, praesertim eas, quae misericórdiae tuae máxime indigent. (Recording, here.)
• (a) Salve Regina, mater misericórdiæ: vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus éxsules fílii Hevæ. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. (b) Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes óculos ad nos converte. (c) Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsílium ostende. O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. Amen. (Recording, here.)
• Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Génetrix. Ut digni efficiamur promissiónibus Christi.
• Deus, cujus Unigénitus per vitam, mortem, et resurrectiónem Suam nobis salutis æternæ præmia comparavit: concede, quæsumus: ut hæc mystéria sacratíssimo beatæ Mariæ Vírginis Rosário recolentes, et imitemur quod cóntinent, et quod promitunt assequamur, per eundem Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen. (Recording, here.)
• Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace, quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum, quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum, lumen ad revelationem gentium et gloriam plebis tuæ Israël. Gloria. (31)
•
(a) Magnificat anima mea Dominum, et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo, quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ.
(b) Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes, quia fecit
mihi magna, qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius, et misericordia eius
in progenies et progenies timentibus eum.
• (a) O salutaris Hóstia, Quae caeli pandis óstium: Bella premunt hostília, da robur fer auxílium. (b) Uni trinoque Dómino sit sempiterna glória, Qui vitam sine término nobis donet in pátria. Recording here.
• (a) In princípio erat Verbum et Verbum erat apud Deum et Deus erat Verbum. Hoc erat in princípio apud Deum. Ómnia per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil, quod factum est. in ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hóminum. et lux in ténebris lucet, et ténebrae eam non comprehenderunt. (b) Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen erat Iohannes; hic venit in testimónium, ut testimónium perhiberet de lúmine, ut omnes créderent per illum. Non erat ille lux, sed ut testimónium perhiberet de lúmine. (c) Erat lux vera, quae illúminat omnem hóminem, veniens in mundum. In mundo erat, et mundus per ipsum factus est, et mundus eum non cognovit. In própria venit, et sui eum non receperunt. (d) Quotquot autem acceperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem fílios Dei fieri, his, qui credunt in nómine eius, qui non ex sanguínibus neque ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo nati sunt. Et Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis; et vídimus glóriam eius, glóriam quasi Unigéniti a Patre, plenum grátiae et veritatis.
Provisio clause, here. Accusative supine, here. Ablative supine, here.
• Attende, D ómine, et miserere, quia peccávimus tibi. (Recording and text, here.)
• Regina cæli, lætare, alleluia, / quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia, / resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia; / ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia!
Five Declensions Four Conjugations Relative Pronouns Personal Pronouns I, II Personal Pronouns III
hic, haec, hoc iste, ista, istud ille, illa, illud ipse, ipsa, ipsum
|