9 Reasons to learn Latin
Why study Latin? It’s a fair question. When I stop to consider that Latin is not spoken by anyone in the modern world, it’s easy to understand why people would wonder at its prime placement in classical schools.
But, as it turns out, there are many benefits to learning a “dead” language - especially one that has had such an impact on western history and thought. Here’s why:
1. Latin is the best prep for learning any other Romance language.
Here’s a fun word for you: Dachsprache. It’s German! It means “umbrella language.” Latin is the Dachsprache for all the other romance languages (French, Italian, German, and Spanish). Essentially, Latin unites all those languages together under one umbrella of structure, grammar, and vocabulary. So, by starting with Latin, students open themselves up to a much easier path in learning multiple other languages.
2. Students who take Latin do better in other subjects.
Translating a sentence in Latin requires a systematic approach. There is, at least in the beginning, a step-by-step process that students follow to identify elements within a sentence. Learning this systematic approach actually improves a student’s learning skills.
Students in Latin spend a lot of time acquainting themselves with English grammar and spelling. In that sense, they are better prepared for the reading and writing elements across all their academic subjects.
3. Latin prepares students for some pretty important professions.
You’ve probably heard this one before. Latin is the language of medicine, law, theology, and modern science. Think of all the words that come with those fields. They have a vocabulary all their own - largely derived from Latin and Greek. Learning Latin helps develop this vocabulary. It is the next natural step after phonics because it connects the phonograms students spent years learning in Grammar School to real words with a real history.
Your future doctors and lawyers will thank you for preparing them for the MCAT and LSAT early.
4. Latin and classical culture played a vital role in the American founding.
In the early years of America, the founding fathers were acutely aware of the problems that led to the downfall of the Roman Empire. They used their knowledge of history in their work to ensure that America would not meet the same fate. Their understanding of history and literature was steeped in classical culture - including Latin.
Books like the Illiad and the Odyssey don’t just tell good stories - they speak to the downfall of empires. They are the legends and warnings of the cultures that came before us. By studying Latin, students gain entry to the thoughts that made Rome Rome and, ultimately, that started the American founding.
5. Studying Latin gives students a complete understanding of western history and art
The Latin language was incredibly influential in the history of the West. By studying it, students complete their understanding of history - namely the Roman Empire through the Renaissance. Just as a Mandarin class would help you better understand Chinese culture and its history, studying Latin illuminates the literature, art, history, and individual lives of the people who spoke and lived it.
6. It gives students a chance to develop their problem-solving skills
As I mentioned before - translating Latin requires a systematic approach. There is an order and method of identifying certain parts of sentences before others. Part of that process generally requires ripping a sentence apart just to piece it back together. Individual sentences can be small puzzles laced together to create a larger puzzle in a paragraph. The process gives students opportunities day after day to practice their problem-solving skills. They approach an unknown sentence and slowly and systematically unearth its meaning.
7. Latin is all around us
I mean this quite literally. Latin is literally all around us - you just might not have noticed it. Take the U.S one-dollar bill, for example. That bill alone carries three Latin phrases: annuit coeptis, Novus ordo seclorum, and e Pluribus Unum. These mean “He has approved our undertakings,” “a new order of the ages,” and “out of many, one,” respectively.
Even some of our most common expressions are derived from Latin. Consider how often you refer to the time with AM and PM or use phrases like “Carpe Diem” or “Et cetera.” Latin is still ingrained in the fabric of our culture. We’ve just gotten so used to it, we’ve forgotten where these things come from!
8. Students who study Latin do better on standardized tests
Several studies show this. Students who take Latin do better on their SATs and PSATs than students who take French, Spanish, German, or Hebrew. Latin boosts scores on the SAT vocab section in particular and develops student cognitive ability.
Not to mention - elite universities love to see Latin on a student’s transcript. Colleges know that Latin requires students to work harder and think more critically than other languages.
9. Some of the best speeches ever written are in Latin.
This point goes hand in hand with number 4. I do, however, think it’s important to distinguish rhetoric from literature. Cicero, Augustus, and Caesar are considered some of the most formidable rhetoricians the world has ever seen. In particular, Cicero is known for taking complex ideas and communicating them in simple prose that is easily digestible.
By studying Latin, students gain access to some of the best speeches in history - speeches that communicate critical political ideas, and that wonder at society’s choices and priorities. Why rely on someone else’s translation when you read the original yourself?
