Sum, es, est, sumus, estis, sunt

Jinglebob

Jinglebob

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Some may suspect that I’m typing gibberish but others of you know that this is the conjugation of the Latin verb sum (to be). Until about fifty years ago, Latin was an integral part of our education. I studied Latin all through high school. It helped me tremendously in English because the English vocabulary is made up of Latin words and roots.

Latin provides the root words for all of the modern sciences and even law. Latin is considered a dead language, so the meaning of a Latin word is not contaminated, as in English, which can have different meanings when spoken across boarders or to different English speaking sects.

Unfortunately, in most schools today Latin is not part of the curriculum. I guess some in the educational system think that the only thing you need is Google. They confuse information with knowledge.
 
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I didn't take Latin, but did have a word study class that broke down words to their root level. It has been 35 or 36 years and much of that knowledge has gone missing, but it was helpful in figuring out what words where.
 
Studying Latin is not why you wrote "boarders" where you meant "borders." :D

Of course, the words mean different things.

Now that I've pointed this out, I'd better get my cutlass and prepare to repel angry "boarders" eager to call me a spelling Nazi.

Of course, a paying guest is also a boarder. But the edges of countries are "borders."

BTW, English has almost as much Germanic influence as it has Latin. And I've read that it has about 13,000 more words than either root language.
 
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I don't think any education is useless.

I think today's society has higher priorities than teaching Latin, so it's out. I have no problem that I never learned any Latin, but of course I don't know what I'm missing.

I think its better for students today to learn Spanish or Chinese. Or to use the time to learn about technology subjects.
 
I've read that English has the
most words in the world, not
only from sources like Latin,
German or Arabic but even the
fact that words are created to
fill voids in our understanding.

Truly English is a language
without boarders.
 
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Texas Star said:
Studying Latin is not why you wrote "boarders" where you meant "borders." :D


Of course, the words mean different things.

Now that I've pointed this out, I'd better get my cutlass and prepare to repel angry "boarders" eager to call me a spelling Nazi.

Of course, a paying guest is also a boarder. But the edges of countries are "borders."

BTW, English has almost as much Germanic influence as it has Latin. And I've read that it has about 13,000 more words than either root language.
Click to expand...


My mistake and I do not consider you a spelling Nazi. When someone inadvertently uses a word in the context of a sentence that is obviously wrong the reader has three choices; ignore it, correct the person in private to save them from embarrassment or point out the mistake publicly. I think whichever choice one makes is pretty revealing.
 
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i resented taking latin.
i thot it a waste.
now, many years later, i know it was a waste.
the ignorant teachers claimed it was important because
many words in law n medicine.
the actual latin words in law are few n could easily be rote memorised
in a small amount of time.
the real reason i was forced to spend my time foolishly was i was in a college prep school n latin was considered prestigious, for the school.
i'm still angry.
 
Susieqz really knows how to drag up painful high school memories. I don't remember if I took 2 years or 3 years of Latin. It was painful. Today I have no 'memory' of the "Why". Latin / English grammar was easy because I learned it once in seventh grade and it never changed. Latin grammar just added more useless stones to the pile.
 
Jinglebob said:
Some may suspect that I’m typing gibberish but others of you know that this is the conjugation of the Latin verb sum (to be). Until about fifty years ago, Latin was an integral part of our education. I studied Latin all through high school. It helped me tremendously in English because the English vocabulary is made up of Latin words and roots.

Latin provides the root words for all of the modern sciences and even law. Latin is considered a dead language, so the meaning of a Latin word is not contaminated, as in English, which can have different meanings when spoken across boarders or to different English speaking sects.

Unfortunately, in most schools today Latin is not part of the curriculum. I guess some in the educational system think that the only thing you need is Google. They confuse information with knowledge.
Click to expand...

Amen, dico, amen! Did three years of Latin in school. Not easy but I've always been glad I did as it helps a great deal with understanding English. Still have my Latin textbook around somewhere, 50 years later. I briefly (very briefly) attempted Greek but six cases, three genders, then singular, DUAL and plural... Nope. In retrotspect I wish I had stuck it out, though. I've always been interested in languages and linguistics.

Absalom said:
Magister stultus est.

(The teacher is stupid)
Click to expand...

Not to mention: STERCUS ACCIDIT (S**t happens),

and

Sola lingua bona est lingua mortua.
(The only good language is a dead language)

Jinglebob, if you want a really good chew at Latin, you might want to check out Latin- Story of a World Language by Jürgen Leonhardt. Not an easy or light read but quite absorbing if you take it slowly.
 
My second year......

I finished my second year of Latin in high school, which was the last class offered. The Latin teacher had to learn math in order to keep her job as a teacher.

I took a couple of semesters in college, too. But it's been a long, long time.

Hic Haek Hoc

Huius Huius Huius

Seems I remember something called the Agricolae theorem.

And don't forget the story of the pueri et puella.

Caesar's commentary on the Gallic Wars was a RIOT!

Oh, and it's raining rana.

Latin is a dead language
As dead as it can be.
First it killed the Romans
And now it's killing me.


.
 
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Yet more for the classically-inclined here:

Why learning Latin stays with you forever | PBS NewsHour | PBS

Plus, in Finland, of all places, Radio 1 broadcasts the world news in Latin ("Nuntii Latini"). Here's a link to an older NY Times article on it.

‘Nuntii Latini,’ News Broadcast in Finland, Unites Fans of Latin - The New York Times

Here's the latest.
Nuntii Latini | Radio | Areena | yle.fi

Quid in Syria factum sint

Die Saturni (7.4.) in regione prope Damascum sita ictus gasalis factus est, quo complures cives mortui sunt. Communitas internationalis hac aggressione regiminis Syriae valde commota est. Sauli Niinistö, praesidens Finlandiae, censuit usum armorum chemicorum in quovis casu vehementissime condemnandum esse. Iam periculum esse, ne id, quod in Syria accidisset, paci internationali immineret.
Click to expand...
 
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