Latin was considered as a classical language that was used by the locals in Rome during the 6th century BC. Over time, Latin became one of the most dominant languages in Italy and was developed into several romance languages, such as French and Italian. Latin played a significant role in shaping history and the English language, but today, it’s already considered dead.
Although Latin is still used in fields of medicine and law, there are no more native speakers to the language. Latin is complex because every word should be modified depending on the tense, person, gender, and mood.
Latin is non-existent in the 21st century, but this doesn’t mean that you should disregard learning the language. In fact, you’ll be able to experience the following benefits once you opt to learn Latin:
- Helps With English Grammar
English is considered as the universal language, which means that wherever you go, English will always be prominent. Traveling to Asian or European countries can be a breeze if you’re an English speaker.
While the English language isn’t directly derived from Latin, most of the grammatical rules in English originated from Latin. Rules on the use of double negatives, double comparatives, and ending a sentence with a proposition all came from Latin.
Thus, learning Latin today can improve your English grammar by making you more conscious of how you use and speak English. The ability to follow English grammatical rules can be utilized in different facets of life and can eventually aid in your personal and professional growth.
- Enhances Literature Experience
Reading is essential as it can boost your brainpower, keep your mental health in check, and improve your writing abilities. There’s a long list of benefits when you read books regularly, but do you know that learning Latin can improve your experience?
Most books and novels sold today use Latin words and phrases. When you read the entire novel series of Harry Potter, for example, you’ll come across several Latin words.
While you can still get an idea of what the Latin word means by reading in context, your literature experience will be different if you actually know what the Latin word means.
Once you learn Latin, you’ll be able to understand and experience literature better. Knowledge of this language can also motivate you to discover other types of literature that uses Latin. The more books you’ll read, the better it is for your overall health and wellness.
- Improves Test Scores
You’re bound to take several exams in your life. You’ll have to take the Law School Admission Test if you want to attend law school and Graduate Record Examinations if you’re planning to further your education through a postgraduate degree.
Having a strong background in Latin can improve your test scores. Since these industries use Latin in their terminologies, it’ll be easier to understand the exam questions and provide accurate answers once you’ve learned Latin.
- Promotes Focus And Patience
As mentioned, Latin is a very complex language. For you to effectively converse using the language, you’ll have to pay attention to your words as these will change based on the tense and voice. There’s no standardized rule when it comes to the use of Latin, which is one of the reasons why this language no longer exists.
Your focus and patience will be tested once you decide to learn Latin. Aside from the complexity of the language, you also have to learn how to follow its grammatical rules to ensure that you’ll be able to express yourself.
Focus and patience are necessary when learning Latin, once you’re able to master the language, the skills you’ve honed during the process can now be used in your daily routine.
- Encourages To Think Out Of The Box
Learning Latin doesn’t only mean that you should know certain words. Learning Latin is a long-term process that’s aimed to teach you how to properly use the language, both in oral and written communication.
To do this effectively, you’ll have to start by learning about the grammatical rules for the language. How do you think you can communicate with others if your prepositions are misplaced in a sentence?
The difficulty of the grammatical rules applied in Latin will encourage you to think out of the box. You’ll have to carefully assess which Latin words should be used in a particular sentence.
To ensure that your Latin words will translate into a smooth English sentence, you’ll have to come up with several solutions and assess which among these solutions works best for you to clearly express your thoughts in Latin.
You Reap What You Sow
Learning Latin won’t be a walk in the park. This task will require you to practice Latin as often as possible and read materials in Latin. But, instead of focusing on the challenges, think about the rewards you can get after mastering the language.
Since there are no more Latin native speakers, learning it will surely help you stand out from the crowd – may it be in the employment sector or in your literature class.
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