Should Latin Be Offered as a Secondary School Elective?

[RonaldReagansGhost666]

Well, the future of the English language is somewhat pitiful. From experience through the means of observation, it seems that the average student's vocabulary has been and still is decreasing, with spelling and grammar going down the gutter thanks to "text language" and other ridiculous nonsense resulted from pure laziness.
But, here's my solution:
Teach Latin and Ancient Greek.
What mechanism is more efficient to boost the understanding of our own language, along with increasing vocabulary, than to teach students the two languages that most of the English Language's multi-syllabary words are based upon?
From what many of my peers and educators, I have a rather advanced vocabulary for my age. I have the ability to "dissect" words and understand their definitions without difficulty. But why?
Simply because I have somewhat of a command of the Latin language.
Of these words that I know, they include tyrannis (tyrant), uni (I hope to G-d that every one knows that), homo (man, as in Homo Habilis, which translates to "Handy man"), trans (cross), and conserve (keep).
My Ancient Greek vocabulary (which is quite meager) consists of the words saurous (lizard), homo (same), atom, and ped (foot).
Well, that's my idea.

Would any of you guys care to share yours?

[Minimalist]

A Theos = fuck god.

[Something completely different]

What do you mean the language is going "into the gutter"?

Languages arent stiff unchangeable things. Languages evolve! Ever read medieval or reneissance poetry? The english of 200 years ago wouldnt even be recognisable today. Languages are formed through cultural changes and thereby never stay the same. I bet 100 years ago someone else was saying that language was going down the gutter.
Did you know that "groto" is the italian word for "cave", and that during the renaissace in caves arrounf italian cities, roman villas with mosaics containing pornographic images were discovered.
This dicovery and italian word for cave lead to the formation and establishment of the word "grotesk" which exists in all european langauges. "millionaire" is a french word, which entered other european languages during the 17th century when ordenary citizens managed to get rich for the first time. "Russ" is old arabic for "to row" and the vikings who traded with the arabs and byzantiens over the russian rivers thereby gave "Russia" it`s name. Other examples are probably Blitzkrieg and Kindergarten, all in all I hope these examples show how language is a constantly evolving thin - which never goes down a gutter.


I had latin and greek in school, and I think it was very usefull.

[KichigaiNeko]

Introduction to Latin and Greek could be very useful.... would make science easier to understand at least.

[Darth]

No, It's a dead language (though let the schools and parents make that decision). What I would do: teach them a language that gives them an easy out in case of needing to emigrate, that can help in business and trade, that exposes them to another culture, that they can have conversations with natural speakers in. I would want to learn latin, but it's at least 5 languages down on my list.

If students are struggling with english, might it not be their english classes that are inadequate?

We spent a lot of time watching and analysing Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith. In year 11 (seccond final year), and in the higher exam track class (not english lit though), not the pat on the head for being able to spell 'banana' correctly classes.

[RonaldReagansGhost666]

What do you mean the language is going "into the gutter"?

Languages arent stiff unchangeable things. Languages evolve! Ever read medieval or reneissance poetry? The english of 200 years ago wouldnt even be recognisable today. Languages are formed through cultural changes and thereby never stay the same. I bet 100 years ago someone else was saying that language was going down the gutter.
Did you know that "groto" is the italian word for "cave", and that during the renaissace in caves arrounf italian cities, roman villas with mosaics containing pornographic images were discovered.
This dicovery and italian word for cave lead to the formation and establishment of the word "grotesk" which exists in all european langauges. "millionaire" is a french word, which entered other european languages during the 17th century when ordenary citizens managed to get rich for the first time. "Russ" is old arabic for "to row" and the vikings who traded with the arabs and byzantiens over the russian rivers thereby gave "Russia" it`s name. Other examples are probably Blitzkrieg and Kindergarten, all in all I hope these examples show how language is a constantly evolving thin - which never goes down a gutter.


I had latin and greek in school, and I think it was very usefull.

Of course it's going down the gutter. Most kids nowadays spell worse than cognitively disabled person, retain the vocabulary of a ten-year old, and create some of the most nonsensical terminology.

[rexbeccarox]

Latin helped me through science, language arts (English plus a few others), history, and especially music, which was my college major.

[RonaldReagansGhost666]

No, It's a dead language (though let the schools and parents make that decision). What I would do: teach them a language that gives them an easy out in case of needing to emigrate, that can help in business and trade, that exposes them to another culture, that they can have conversations with natural speakers in. I would want to learn latin, but it's at least 5 languages down on my list.

If students are struggling with english, might it not be their english classes that are inadequate?

We spent a lot of time watching and analysing Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith. In year 11 (seccond final year), and in the higher exam track class (not english lit though), not the pat on the head for being able to spell 'banana' correctly classes.

Must I remind you that Latin is the foundation of the English Language?

[KichigaiNeko]

Ummm so is German and French and a few other languages I think.

[Darth]

The foundation of the language? How-so? It's a germanic language, not romance. It's an influence no doubt, but the foundation?

Shall we teach them old english? What we know of Proto-germanic and Proto-indo-European?