by John Davis

Created on: March 15, 2009   Last Updated: March 21, 2009

Nietzche once said "God is dead," yet millions worldwide continue to follow religions that teach that He is very much alive. Similarly, many teachers are now telling students that Latin, as a language, is also dead. Such an idea is not only grossly incorrect, but also academically hazardous.

To fully understand the significance of Latin to our modern society, one must look at the predominant world language: English. Most roots of English words are derived from one of two other languages - Latin or Greek. Students who have had no exposure to these other languages have a harder time grasping the concepts of prefixes, suffixes, roots, and derivations in English.

True, many of our words in the English language come from more global sources, like French, Italian, or Spanish, but overall, for basic language skills, one has to know their Latin and Greek word predecessors. Renaissance schools, meaning those private institutions that advance a system known as "classical education," continue to emphasize the importance of knowing our language background. More common public schools, however, have abandoned this practice and expect students to comprehend verbal concepts that are beyond their understanding without some prior exposure to the aforementioned languages.

With all that said, a clarification needs to be made. It is possible for students to understand English grammar and mechanics without knowledge of language roots. However, by applying lessons learned from other languages, students are given a much greater advantage in learning and in life at large. As students all over the world are told to use "context clues" and similar tools to help them figure out unfamiliar words, the question arises: how much easier would it be to deduce word meanings if one has knowledge of those words' compositions?

Latin, however, gives students even larger advantages than just application in English class. Think, for a moment, about places and tokens of importance in American society: On our courthouses, on our government buildings, on our money, and in our places of religion, Latin may be found. What good is it to have "Epluribus Unum" written on all our quarters if no one knows what it means? Likewise, why should we include "Omnibus Justitia" on our legal buildings if no one has any idea about the phrase's definition?

Beyond application in daily life, the media is filled with Latin. On the "CW television show Supernatural brothers Sam and Dean Winchester chant Latin to dispel demons. And while the world of fiction and fantasy may not seem that important to adults in our society, how much more empowered would students feel if they could actually tell what was being said, even in trivial instances?

The more our schools "slim down" the areas of knowledge taught, the less civilized our world will become. Rather than thinking about subjects we need to eliminate, perhaps it's time to consider what should be added, instead.

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