playing cards

[ginlindzey]

I'm having fun again working on playing cards in Latin. I don't know why I have this interest in doing this, except that I think it is a way to reinforce grammar while focusing on the fun of a game.

We talk on other lists and elsewhere about using more Latin, about internalizing the language. We have no time during class to do it all. I keep thinking that playing cards is something you can do solo or with friends.

What are the benefits? Internalization of endings/morphology for a start. For instance, if you are playing "I PISCATUM" (Go Fish), you must ask, "habEsne UllOs rEgEs?" to which you reply "habeO" or "nOn habeO". So right there you've practiced personal endings on verbs, noun/adjective agreement, and acc/direct objects. Once accustomed to those simple set phrases, one can begin to expand the vocabulary/conversation.

So I've been working for the last couple of days on what might be the beginning chapter for a book on using card playing to build one's confidence in USING Latin. This is just another crazy obsession.

I'm trying to use the repetitive style of Oerberg's Lingua Latina. My idea so far is that anyone reading the first chapter would, as I will instruct, read it outloud, getting used to the sound and feel of the names for the cards. I was looking at a book the other day, an introductory text, wondering how the student was ever supposed to absorb the vocabulary except by rote memorization because it certainly wasn't used enough.

Want a sample of the very beginning? I have a typeface for playing cards so this is more or less illustrated.

Picture an ace of spades. Then this follows:

haec est charta.

fasciculus chartarum quinquaginta duo chartas habet. quinquaginta duo (LII) chartae sunt in fasciculo.

fasciculus chartarum in quattuor familias divisus est. tredecim (XIII) chartae sunt in quaque familia. familiae sunt corda (hearts picture), rhombuli (diamonds picture), trifolia (clubs picture), et palae (spades picture). corda sun rubra. rhombuli quoque sunt rubri. trifolia sunt atra. palae quoque sunt atrae.

fasciculus chartas rubras et chartas atras habet. viginti sex (XXVI) chartae sunt rubrae. viginti sex chartae sunt atrae. una sunt quinquaginta duo chartae rubrae et atrae.

and then I go on to name all the cards, explain why I use certain names in footnotes, illustrated by pictures of all the cards and a listing of each full name (like rex palarum), etc.

From there I intend to explain things students/readers should do to practice the names.

So, if this were a book, this would constitute chapter 1. Chapter 2 would be playing Go Fish (I PISCATUM).

Then what? What other games? I want to avoid poker, I think, for now. But I suppose that is what some people want. Crazy Eights, which I haven't played since I was a kid, is a possibility. Certainly Hearts (with many thoughts of Stephen King's _Hearts in Atlantis_ and playing mad games of Hearts with my grandmother and cousins. Definitely Solitaire and then perhaps my favorite speed game, Hell. But it doesn't require much talking so I guess those I might not include it.

(Surely there are better things to do with my time????)

Comments

chartae ludi

[(Anonymous)]

I think your idea is excellent!! Mind if I use it with my kids? I think they'd really get a kick out of it. I do not do much Latin conversing yet with my classes, I will be adding much more next year (I have "Latin in Motion" and want to use that daily ), but this would be a good way to start out my 1's as sort of a fun review game.

Re: chartae ludi

[ginlindzey.livejournal.com]

Dear Someone--

Drop me an email at ginlindzey@hotmail.com and I'll provide you with my more detailed sheets.