Introduction to Latin

Why do we study Latin?

“It is not so much excellent to know Latin, as it is a shame not to know it.” --Cicero

• For nearly 2,000 years, Latin was the language of the educated –the language of churches, governments, science (Sir Isaac Newton), nobles, musicians, and even poets.

Background

• Greek is the sister language of Latin – an OLDER sister (ex: 5th century B.C. was the time of the writings of Sophocles, Euripedes)

• Latin did not reach its prime until the 1st and 2nd centuries B.C.

• As Latin developed, it borrowed from Greek and kept this up even after it became a fully developed language

5 Major Ways Greek Influenced Latin

1. Roman Traders – business connections in the Greek-speaking near East (influenced merchandise)

2. Roman soldiers – returned from years of service in Greece, Egypt, Syria

3. Wealthy young Romans – tutored by a Greek slave, schooled at the University of Athens (influenced mathematical and philosophical terms)

5 Major Ways Greek Influenced Latin

4. Roman gentlemen – spoke Greek as fluently as Latin – a variety of Greek expressions present in Latin conversation

5. Rise of Christianity – brought into Latin a whole new group of Greek words – including religious and technical

Today…

• Over 800,000 words in the English language• More than 50% are of Latin origin; 11% have

come through classical Greek• Some estimates will go higher as scientists and

technicians turn again and again to these two languages to develop words

So, why do we study Latin AFTER Greek?

• Latin derivatives are more difficult than the Greek because meanings may be less apparent and less sharply defined

• In general: Greek roots provide KEYS to meanings, Latin roots provide CLUES.

• Ex: alphabet : alpha + beta (names of the first and second letters of the Greek alphabet which were used to make the Latin word alphabetum.)

Alphabet

• From the Greek alphabet, Latin also borrowed: K, Y, Z to use in spelling Greek words

• During the Middle Ages, j replaced the Latin I used as a consonant (before that, I was used both as a consonant and a vowel).

• Letters U and V were originally used in Latin without distinction. Later, V came to denote the consonant and U the vowel.

Derivation

is the process of tracing a word from its source.

Latin words have become English by…1. Being taken over unchanged (area, radius)2. Dropping the Latin ending

form < forma (shape)laud < laudere (to praise)

3. By dropping the ending and adding a silent “e”: fam – e fortun - e

Latin words have become English…

4. By way of another language:savage from L. “silva” via F. “savage”isle from L. “insula” via F. “ile”

Prefix (L. prae+fixum, fastened before) – one or more syllables placed before the root of a word to modify the meaning of the root

Continued…

Root – the basic part of the word

Suffix (L. sub+fixum, fastened from under) one or more syllables placed after the root to modify its meaning.