Why Learn Latin?
Not long ago, I was conversing with a friend about classical Christian education when the topic of Latin came up. I was surprised when my friend expressed disgust at the thought of being made to learn Latin. She said, “That seems so boring, I would absolutely hate that. I don’t understand why they teach Latin in schools. It’s a dead language.”
One of the hallmarks of classical Christian education is that we teach Latin to our students. And while not everyone would have such a strong negative reaction to it as my friend did, parents and students often have similar questions about its value. Why Latin and not a modern language, one in which people still have conversations, which the student can use to interact with the art and literature and ideas of other cultures? It’s a fair question, and one that I hope I can answer.
The benefits of Latin study are numerous. On the purely utilitarian side, the study of Latin is an excellent way for the English speaker to improve his vocabulary. Over half of English vocabulary comes from Latin. In fact, Dr. Gregg Strawbridge estimates that each year of Latin study provides the student with 500-1000 new English words. Perhaps for the same reason, students who have studied Latin score on average about 31% better on verbal sections of standardized tests. I have even had one student tell me that spelling, previously one of her greatest academic struggles, became her favorite section of the SAT after a couple years of studying Latin. Even in such a short time, she discovered that spelling became noticeably easier for her simply because she had learned the Latin roots of many words she would otherwise struggle with.
As a classical school, Pinnacle seeks to equip its students for a Christ-honoring life by training them to be good communicators. Having a good vocabulary enhanced by Latin study will be a great advantage to them in future studies, in the workplace, and in communicating in general. Besides containing the roots of a large portion of English vocabulary, Latin terms and phrases are used in all of the modern sciences as well as law, politics, and theology. Thus, we use Latin across academic fields in our pursuit of truth both concrete and abstract.
Besides broadening the student’s vocabulary, Latin also deepens it. It gives him a unique quality of understanding of the words we use to communicate important truths. Consider, for example, what it is that we do in schools. Do we instruct or indoctrinate? And why is one better than the other? The word indoctrinate comes from two Latin roots: in, which has the same meaning in English and Latin, and doctrina, meaning “a teaching.” The word instruct comes from in and struo, which means “to build.” To indoctrinate a student, then, is simply to instill a teaching within him, whereas instructing him involves building him up, helping him to grow in knowledge, skill, and wisdom. So then what is the difference between mere instruction and true education? Educate comes from two Latin words as well: ex, meaning “out of/from,” and duco, meaning “to lead.” Education always has to begin with instruction, but it should end with the student being led to go out, better equipped to face the spiritual and physical challenges of life, prepared to act on behalf of others, and ready to follow Christ wherever He leads. These distinctions are important, and studying the language that is their source is a valuable step towards gaining an education.
Latin’s value to the study of other languages is also unparalleled. Cheryl Lowe calls Latin “the most fruitful language in human history.” The Romance languages–French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian–are all direct descendants of Latin, and knowledge of Latin makes the study of these languages come faster and with much greater ease. Besides these, however, I have found in my own experience that I was more easily able to pick up on the syntax of other languages because of the practice in inflection patterns afforded to me by having studied Latin.
Any inflected language is useful for developing orderly patterns of thought. Since the function of the word is determined by its ending, understanding Latin requires us to train ourselves to analyze what we are seeing rather than simply relying on intuition. For example, fugio means “I flee,” while fugiebam means “I was fleeing” and fugis means “you flee.” Exercitus fugit means “the army flees” while exercitu fugit means “he flees (from) the army.” To accurately identify these distinctions with consistency requires attention to detail, critical and logical thinking, and perseverance. These skills, when exercised regularly, grow stronger, and they transfer to many other areas, such as doing science and interpreting literature. This type of practice helps the student learn how to learn.
Finally, the study of Latin inevitably includes the study of ancient cultures, particularly Roman culture. In my Latin classes this year, we have studied the food, clothing, architecture, entertainment, politics, poetry, and values of ancient Rome. We have discussed the cultures of the Gallic, Germanic, and Asian tribes with whom the Romans interacted, read selections of Greek mythology, and considered important political practices in medieval Europe. By the end of the year, we will have read in their original language selections from works by Roman philosophers and playwrights, medieval historians, and Renaissance scientists—the likes of Cicero and Caesar, Virgil and Ovid, St. Augustine, Erasmus, and Copernicus. Because Latin was the European lingua franca for over a millennium even after the fall of Rome, scientific, theological, and philosophical works were commonly written in Latin throughout Europe even into the eighteenth century. Thus, studying Latin equips the student to study foundational works across nearly all major academic disciplines, many of which still use Latin terminology today.
Cheryl Lowe insists, “Latin is not dead, it’s immortal!” Extreme as the statement sounds, my studies thus far have inclined me to agree with her. Studying Latin means studying the foundations of Western civilization—law and civics, philosophy, science, and history. It provides excellent mental training and a vast array of vocabulary in English and beyond. Let us continue to honor Christ to the best of our ability as we study this beautiful and fruitful language.
Soli Deo gloria.
Laurel McLaughlin
Upper School Teacher
