My knickers -- or underpants -- are strangling me!
I fear that we sell Latin short if we treat it as merely a classical language. Yes, of course you are right, because it was used in ancient times and produced some magnificent stuff that, due to the efforts of the rich and highly educated and powerful, we are lucky still to have. Unfortunately much of it is a bit too sophisticated for other than our most studious students. Moreover, it has to compete with selected matter in other languages that is less sophisticated and more directed to their ability and prior knowledge.
You can sell Latin short also by stressing the reading aspect. But, then, it could be that I am misreading you, and you would also have Latin declaimed, so that students can not only passively read Virgil and Cicero, but also hear and even feel the crash of sword on armour and the sarcasm directed against Antony.
However, more Latin has been written since the Romans than by them. I hope that noone would not wish to deprive our students of the fun of Erasmus' 'Colloquies', for only one example. Students could profitably write -- and act -- their own colloquies for practice and fun, not as Romans but as themselves or their contemporaries. Whilst Livy and Tacitus are our main sources for ancient history, Bede is a prime source for Mediaeval times. Diego Valadés and other 16th century commentators provide a live record of the "conquest" of South America.
That is before I in turn risk distorting your underwear by drawing attention to the amount of Latin spoken and written today, and mainly outside the Church. Let that be another story.
However much one feels inclined to include or exclude in Latin studies, how right you are that we need to sell or market the result, with all the fortunate and unfortunate overtones in those last words. I have only just heard of a reference in the context of tennis to the four P's -- product, placement, promotion and price -- each of which we need closely to establish and define. We are aware of how far the media brainwash these days: why should the Devil have all the best tunes?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rosecarmine
How we promote Latin
Date: 2006-06-13 08:25 pm (UTC)My knickers -- or underpants -- are strangling me!
I fear that we sell Latin short if we treat it as merely a classical language. Yes, of course you are right, because it was used in ancient times and produced some magnificent stuff that, due to the efforts of the rich and highly educated and powerful, we are lucky still to have. Unfortunately much of it is a bit too sophisticated for other than our most studious students. Moreover, it has to compete with selected matter in other languages that is less sophisticated and more directed to their ability and prior knowledge.
You can sell Latin short also by stressing the reading aspect. But, then, it could be that I am misreading you, and you would also have Latin declaimed, so that students can not only passively read Virgil and Cicero, but also hear and even feel the crash of sword on armour and the sarcasm directed against Antony.
However, more Latin has been written since the Romans than by them. I hope that noone would not wish to deprive our students of the fun of Erasmus' 'Colloquies', for only one example. Students could profitably write -- and act -- their own colloquies for practice and fun, not as Romans but as themselves or their contemporaries. Whilst Livy and Tacitus are our main sources for ancient history, Bede is a prime source for Mediaeval times. Diego Valadés and other 16th century commentators provide a live record of the "conquest" of South America.
That is before I in turn risk distorting your underwear by drawing attention to the amount of Latin spoken and written today, and mainly outside the Church. Let that be another story.
However much one feels inclined to include or exclude in Latin studies, how right you are that we need to sell or market the result, with all the fortunate and unfortunate overtones in those last words. I have only just heard of a reference in the context of tennis to the four P's -- product, placement, promotion and price -- each of which we need closely to establish and define. We are aware of how far the media brainwash these days: why should the Devil have all the best tunes?