The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning Latin
Whether interested in learning Latin or just seeking a deeper understanding of English, readers will find a fun alternative to the standard dusty tomes usually associated with Latin. Included in this revised edition are updated vocabulary lists relevant to today’s world, expanded pronunciation guides, Latin-to-English and English-to-Latin translations, and a workbook of exercises, reading passages, and tools for greater comprehension of the language.\ • In 2002, the number of high school...
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You came. You saw. You conquered Latin! You're no idiot, of course. You know that Latin is anything but a "dead" language. Latin lives all around us -- in commonly used phrases, professional life, and at the very roots of what we say. You'd like a solid background in Latin, but when it comes to unraveling the complexities of this ancient and expressive language, you feel like a barbarian at the gates of Rome. Don't torch your toga just yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning Latin is a comprehensive tool that will help you steer through the basics -- without falling asleep at the wheel. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you'll get:The lowdown on Latin -- its historical context and its relevance todayValuable vocabulary buildersSafe steps for navigating the grammar jungleLatin literacy -- reading passages from the ancient authorsThe lingo -- Latin in the modern world -- from medicine to music, and more!
Part 1Frequently Asked Questions11Why Learn Latin?3Latin--the Bad Boy of Foreign Languages3Your Latin Teacher Was Tough4Dead but Not Forgotten4Alumneye or Alumnee?5Latin Words You Already Know62What Exactly Is Latin?9Digging Up Your Indo-European Roots9A Brief History of Rome10Late Latin11More Latin Words You Already Know11Part 2What's in a Word?153People, Places, and Things17First-Declension Feminine Nouns18Living Things and Their Parts18Places and Inanimate Things19The Case of the Life of an Oyster21Second-Declension Masculine and Neuter Nouns21Living Things and Their Parts--Masculine Nouns21Places and Things--Masculine Nouns22Places and Things--Neuter Nouns23A Quick Summary25Mouse, Mice; House, Hice? Plurals25Declensions--It's All Downhill from Here!27Word Order--the Oyster Elephant's or the Elephant's Oyster?27And ... Conjunctions!284What's in a Name? More Nouns31Third-Declension Nouns31The Third Declension, the I of the Storm35The Roman Family and Patria Potestas35Fourth and Fifth Declension and "That's All, Folks"36Names for Men and Those Other People375Let's Have Some Action!41Words to Be Memorized41Really Active Verbs42Slightly More Sedentary Verbs43Couch Potato Verbs44Conjugations, or the Perfect Marriage44It's Happening Now!45To Be or Not To Be Able47The Goose Is Cooked496Action Without an Ending--Verbals51To Be or Not To Be: Infinitives51First-Conjugation Verbs52Second-Conjugation Infinitives52Third-Conjugation Infinitives53Third io and Fourth-Conjugation Infinitives53Seeing Is Believing56Things That Must Be Seen--the Passive Periphrastic57Reviewing Verbals587The Good and the Bad--Adjectives and Accusatives61More Words You Know Already62No-Brainer Adjectives62Harder-to-Remember Adjectives63Irregular Adjectives63The Most Agreeable Words65The Goods on Adjectives as Nouns65Good, Gooder, Goodest--Degrees of Comparison66I Object! The Accusative Case69How's That? Questions708Taking the Place of Nouns--Pronouns73Words You Should Know Yourself74First- and Second-Person Pronouns and Adjectives74This, That, and Whatever--Third-Person Pronouns and Demonstratives75Reflecting: Reflexive Pronouns78You Can Go Now!809Where? When? How Many?83Adverbs83Easy Adverbs83When and Where Adverbs84Tell-Me-How Adverbs84Adverbs from Adjectives85Ten Little Carthaginians--Numbers87A.U.C., B.C., A.D., and B.C.E.--the Roman Calendar88At Carthage--the Locative Case91The Last of the Cases91The Dative Case91The Ablative Case9210Expanding the Time Frame--Past and Future Tenses95The Principal Parts of Verbs95Verbs with Easy Third Principal Parts96Verbs with Slightly Changed Third Principal Parts97Verbs with Principal Parts You Really Need to Know97It's an Imperfect World98What's in Your Future?99The Perfect Tenses, Active and Passive100The Imperative--a Commanding Lead103Study Tips105Part 3Expressing Yourself in Latin10711Locutiones--Phrases109Words Without Which You Cannot Do110In the Blink of an Eye--Coming or Going?112Prepositions as Prefixes--Preposterous!113Hey! Interjections!11612Articuli--Clauses119Absolutely Necessary Words119Time for Temporal and Causal Clauses121The Clause of Much Confusion--Ablative Absolute121Or ... Deponent Verbs124More Deponent Verbs12713The Theory of Relative Clauses129Words That Must Be Learned129Recognizing Your Relatives130Whoosier Relative Pronoun?132Indefinites, Intensives, Interrogatives ... Whatever13514Closing In on Clauses137Words to Learn in Order to Be Educated137Subjunctive Mood141Subordinate Conjunctions143Clauses with a Purpose144Clauses with a Result145Clauses of Fear145When? Why? What If? Clauses14515Simple and Not-So-Simple Sentences149I Will Learn These Words149Simple Sentences--I can learn Latin152Interrogative Sentences: Can I learn Latin?154Complex Sentences: Although I am a complete idiot, I can learn Latin15516Compound Sentences and Beyond159More Words to Learn and Memorize159Volo, Velle, Volui160Nolo, Nolle, Nolui161Compound Sentences161Compound-Complex Sentences162Indirect Statements163Indirect Questions165Indirect Commands165Part 4Reading Latin--Selections from Ancient Authors16917Selections from Republican Rome171Vita Terenti (The Life of Terence)171Caesar: More Than Just a Salad172Vita Ciceronis (The Life of Cicero)174Dining Room Scene176My Sister-in-Law!177My House!17818Selections from Vitruvius et al.181Vita Vitruivi181Vita Titi Livi184Vita Plini Secundi186How to Catch an Elephant186The Sad Fate of Oysters187Fishponds and Showers18819Look, Ma! I'm Reading Latin!191Sentences You Can Read and a Review of Cases191More Sentences and Review of Verb Usage193More Sentences and Hints for Translating195Stories to Read in Latin196Pyrrha et Deucalion197Midas197Psalmus Davidis XXIII198Psalmus pro gratiarum actione C198Part 5Coping with Latin in the Modern World20120Legal Latin203Words to Learn or Learn Again203Legal Latin Terms and What They Mean204Latin in Your Law School Papers207Sayings and Quotations About the Law208Ancient Roman Law21021Medical and Scientific Latin213Rx for Understanding Your Doctor213Reading Those Prescriptions216Reading Those Signs at the Zoo--Flora and Fauna218The Medical World of the Romans21922Late Latin and Church Latin223Veba Sancta: Words of the Church Fathers224St. Augustine's Confessions225Verba Sancta: Words of the Church226Music, Sacred and Profane23023Live! From Ancient Rome!235Latin in the Federal Government236State Mottoes236University Mottoes238Quotations on Human Failings239Quotations on Human Virtues240Words to Live By241Snappy Comebacks243AppendixesAVocabulary List245BGrammar Summary285CTest Your Skills--Latin Exams313DAnswer Keys331Index375
