4 of 18

Write now Article Tools

Pronounced dead by the "experts". So was God. But throughout this world, Latin influences much of our communication. Why did the horrid description "Dead", get tagged on Latin? In my opinion, because "Educaters" with more ambition than understanding decided that Numbers outclass Quality. More schools, more pupils, more money! Latin takes "application" in the learning, and time. Drudgery, then, day after day; hardly appealing to young minds.

In early Massachusetts, Latin was a primary subject, taught to every student who attended Boston Latin; they must learn the "classics". It seems to me that Esther Forbes, in "Paul Revere and The World He lived In" described its early requirements well. Young boys who didn't master there studies were left behind! But Boston Latin and Harvard produced men who could know whereof they spoke; defining terms with exactititude. The price for this ability was dear, in persevering effort; but priceless in value.

There is an allusive strain in the works of Eighteenth and Nineteenth century writers that is a blur to the reader who has no knowledge of classical literature, and of the Holy Bible. Winston Churchill's autobiographical and historical contributions contain perhaps the vestigial examples of "explaining by allusion". But how many of us latch on to his meanings? Gallic Wars, the House of Rimmon, Ante-Deluvian; just phrases we "skip over", even as we were taught to do with the "hard words" in third grade. Can we believe that our counterparts in the Seventeenth Century were immersed in such studies when they were our age? We may have self-esteem and each of us, in his own way is a "winner"; but perhaps our society is the loser?

Latin is the root of many tongues. There are many branches on the talking-tree. Science specializes in Latin. Thus, the unlearned patient is at the mercy of the doctor's jargon. How can we know the diagnosis spoken in a foreign (to us) language? This is only one of many roads of life for which we cannot read the map. Jurisprudence burgeons to bursting with Latin phrases. Ecclesiastical matters resort to the language. Yet we, the Greatly Enlightened, are as greatly in the dark as the so-called Great Unwashed of other times.

Our educational system was able to impart Latin to my father. My oldest sister learned it, too. But when my turn came along, the Superintendent had summarily dropped Latin from the curriculum. "Dead language! Unnecessary!" Latin was pronounced dead. So was God. But I have a lurking suspicion that Latin is the "Deus ex machina" of language, after all.

Learn more about this author, Marcus Emery.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Latin is not a dead language?
We want to hear your view. Write now!