Today, many people who study Latin describe it as a hobby. For others, it is much more. As recently as a few hundred years ago, anyone in Western Europe considering a career in academia, diplomacy, or anything else involving constant contact with an international group of people had to have a good grasp of Latin. They had to be able to read, write, and speak it at least a little, and preferably more than just a little.
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Therefore, anyone today who wants to read about Elizabeth I of England, Wallenstein, John Milton, or Martin Luther will only get so far without needing to read Latin. Western philosophy from Lucretius to Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz, and even a considerable amount more recently, is in Latin. Catholic theology until 1962, and much of the earliest Protestant theology, is in Latin.
Newton wrote about physics in Latin, Gauss about mathematics, and Linnaeus about biology. Francis Bacon, Galileo, and Hobbes all wrote in Latin.
You might object that all the people I’ve named so far also wrote in other languages, and you’d be right — although just barely in the case of Spinoza. You can read works in their original form by all of the above without knowing any Latin, though only very little of Spinoza's work in Dutch.
But go back a few more hundred years, and many of the leading minds wrote only in Latin: Roger Bacon, William of Ockham, Thomas Aquinas, Gerard of Cremona, and Albertus Magnus.
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As did the historians Gregory of Tours, Bede, Einhard, Nithard, William of Malmesbury, William of Tyre, Matthew Paris, Henry of Huntingdon, and many others, including numerous anonymous chroniclers—some good writers, many famously bad—but all writing in Latin.
Churtioch records, baptisms, marriages, funerals, inscriptions on tombstones, public buildings, and currency. Government archives. Compendiums of laws.
And then there is the ancient Latin that remains, relatively small in quantity but generally very high in quality, which we call the Latin Classics, read, quoted, and emulated by all of the above, especially during the Latin Renaissance of the 9th, 12th, 15th, and 19th centuries.
And I mustn’t forget to mention all the Latin poetry, plays, and fiction written since the ancient era. Is a 21st-century Latin Renaissance already underway? Some seem to think so. The number of people going to the trouble of learning to speak Latin, not just to recite it but to engage in spontaneous Latin conversation, seems to be rising.
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As I said, for some, Latin is a wonderful hobby. It brings them nothing but happiness. However, given all the various forms of Latin literature available today, it seems to me that a writer could make more than just a hobby of it—a poet, a historian, or a philosopher. Indeed, for many different kinds of authors, the types of Latin texts mentioned above could offer more than just a pastime.
How to Learn Latin?
The average Latin course might seem old-fashioned to many linguists when compared to a Spanish or French course. Many Latin programs treat the language as a tool: a way to read classical texts in their original form, analyze the precise meaning of historical documents, and deepen our understanding of history, literature, and philosophy.
In these more traditional courses, you will mainly translate texts and study grammar – but the aim is comprehension, not fluency. In fact, using a dictionary for word-by-word translation might be encouraged.
In contrast, when studying modern languages, the emphasis is typically on speaking and understanding the language without external support. The ultimate goal is to get you thinking in the target language, so you generally read texts in which you can already understand most of the content. Today, there’s a slowly growing movement advocating for this more immersive approach to be applied to Latin studies.
I don’t believe there’s a “right way” to learn Latin: the best method will depend on your goal. But it’s worth taking the time to consider what studying Latin means for you. Do you care about how quickly and easily you can read a new Latin text – without a dictionary?
Would you like to be able to write in Latin? Would Living Latin events where people talk Latin together interest you, or does it seem inauthentic to you?
If you’re satisfied with a translation-focused approach, ensure you have a solid grasp of Latin’s (fairly complex) grammar and choose texts that you find engaging. Consider joining a study or reading group to discuss these texts together and support each other with any challenges.
If you’re seeking a more immersive experience, you might want to incorporate a few additional activities into your study routine: keeping a journal in Latin, texting study friends in Latin, listening to Latin podcasts and news clips, and practicing pronunciation. Try thinking in Latin to improve your fluency, and read as much as you can—even if the text isn’t as sophisticated as the works you eventually want to read.
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Try to study regularly: you will struggle to get fluency in Latin if you rush through a week’s worth of reading on Sunday afternoons. It’s better to study a little most days of the week.
No matter which approach you choose, set realistic goals for yourself. Track your progress, celebrate your small victories, and stay focused on what you want to achieve.
And don’t be discouraged if reading Virgil takes longer than you expected—Rome wasn’t built in a day, after all.
