Learning Latin in Birmingham

[UmSusu]

I know this is not 11 Plus related, but I need any info from the Brum forum as I have read that some of you know or have children learning Latin.

I need to learn Latin and have a decent grasp of it before September. Is there anywhere that runs such courses? I know brass house does but they are evenings when DH is not here.

Do you offer lessons JaneEyre, or know of someone, as you seem to have an impressive grasp of languages?

Thanks.

[poppit]

Might be of interest:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/ed ... Latin.html

http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/ ... tin-alive/

[UmSusu]

Poppit, the links are great. Thanks . The first one should get me started quite well. The second one has a brilliant link to medieval Latin manuscripts which is the perfect form of training for what I hope to be doing

If anyone knows of anywhere with direct contact, I would still be interested as I worry that I might not grasp it on my own

[hermanmunster]

I was wondering about self teaching - definitely possible for latin as don't have to learn to speak it --

- or even get into the arguments about HOW to speak it (memories at KEHS of 2/3 froms using "W" as in weeny, weedy, weaky and 1/3 forms using "V " - not so much fun ).

However never really easy to teach yourself as so easy to get distracted and ...depends how much you need to do this and whether worth asking if any of the classics staff at GS would arrange some tutorials?

[UmSusu]

Thanks hermanmunster,

I thought V was always pronounced W - getting confused already. I think self-teaching might be good up to a point but from taking a brief look, all those differently spelt dipthongs and rules of stressing penultimate syllables seems quite depressing . You are right though, at least I won't need to speak it.

...depends how much you need to do this and whether worth asking if any of the classics staff at GS would arrange some tutorials?

It is important I do get to grips with it quite well - I plan to start a PhD in September and once I have done all the foundation work I will be in library dungeons researching through Arabic, Latin and French manuscripts. My supervisor will help and I will not do lengthy translations but I need to be in place where I can work fairly independently as I will be spending the next 6 years on this (I hope I don't regret this). I can enrol on the university course once I begin but I wanted to get ahead before then so that I can get on once I am there.

I wonder whether GS classics staff would tutor outside school? It might be worth looking into. Thanks

UmSusu

[PB Mum]

I don't think you could go far wrong with the Cambridge Latin course student books, and use them alongside some of the interactive learning sites. I used them 40+ years ago (albeit in school 'environment') and they are still widely used in schools. Fairly inexpensive from the jungle on-line store DS is planning to do Latin GCSE, plus Classical Civilisation, just because he enjoys it.

[UmSusu]

Thanks PB Mum, the Cambridge books seem to be a popular and good choice.

DS is planning to do Latin GCSE, plus Classical Civilisation, just because he enjoys it.

Wow, that sounds great! I wish I had the opportunity to learn these things at school. It is only when you study these subjects that you realise that there are references to them in many aspects of our culture.

UmSusu

[Turtlegirl]

I had a go with Peter Jones' book 'Learn Latin: The Book of 'The Daily Telegraph' QED Series' and it was very simple and quite fun - aimed at adults who wanted to have a grasp of Latin. Reviews on Amazon say it's about 2/3 of a GCSE.

[yoyo123]

I've always fancied learning latin , just so I could read gravestones.

[ourmaminhavana]

I too did the Cambridge Latin Course, as does my son 35 years on! I think Minimus is also popular, but I've no experience of it personally. ah, it seems to only go up to 13 (Minimus Secundus)
Is the W versus V issue whether it's church Latin or not?