Many people see learning language as a way to
connect to others and thus look down on
learning Latin since it is not spoken on a daily
basis. However, Latin classes have provided
me with countless opportunities to build
connections. In fact, the word “connect” comes
from Latin terms that mean to bind together,
and indeed, through my Latin learning
experiences I have been closely joined with
my classmates, ancient and modern scholars,
and various languages.
Starting with my exploratory Latin class in
seventh grade and continuing to the Aeneid
class I am currently taking in my irst year of
college, each step in my Latin learning journey
has brought me close to my classmates. Latin
classes have always had a way of providing
unique experiences that cannot be found in
other settings, from silly songs and sayings for
memorizing declensions to reciting the iconic
opening lines of the Aeneid to learning about
Roman history and mythology highlights.
Rehearsing skits, playing certamen, making
up cheers, and traveling together for state
Conventions have further knit us together as a
community. Even though I was not in a Latin
class in my senior year of high school or in my
irst semester of college, as soon as I started
my Latin course this semester, I immediately
felt at home immersed in the language and
knowing that we likely all had similar
experiences. Since then, I have grown closer to
my classmates as we have worked through our
translations, recitations, and presentations
with the support of our professor and his
entertaining commentary.
Furthermore, since Latin classes are focused
on preparing us to translate writings rather
than to use the language in daily conversation,
I have been able to read many original pieces
of prose and poetry in my classes.
Reading the original works reveals beautiful
and subtle details that English translations
cannot always reproduce. I especially enjoy
hearing poetry out loud and learning about
the nuances brought out by the sound of the
verses. Every time I read Latin literature, I feel
connected to all the other people throughout
history who have also taken in and thought
about the same words. Thus, Latin ties me to
scholars throughout time and space.
Finally, knowing Latin has given me a window
into understanding languages. With English
words, I can o ten identify Latin roots, which
feels like having a behind-the-scenes view of
the vocabulary, and I can also generally glean
the basic meanings of simple romance
language texts. Learning various grammatical
elements of Latin has allowed me to solidify
my my grasp of English grammar and
comprehend discussions of linguistics. More
broadly, learning Latin has prompted me to
consider how languages and communication
work. For instance, word order seems
essential to conveying ideas in English, but
Latin o fers a di ferent approach by encoding
more information about each word’s role
within the ending rather than in its position.
Thus, through understanding Latin, I feel
closer to other languages as well.
Overall, learning Latin has helped me connect
to my classmates, to scholars across time, and
to many languages, and I can’t wait to see the
connections it builds for me in the future.
- Rachel Fan,
Vanderbilt University;
White Station High School Class Of 2018
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