What's in a Name?

Science, we all had to take it in school.  In high school more specific branches of science were looked into like, Biology and Chemistry.  In both of these courses you actually hear many words with Latin roots.  Albeit there are some Greek roots there as well.

When the sciences became of interest in the world the scientists used names that all other scientists could understand.  So they chose terms that other educated member of their society would know, so there would be little confusion and have good stability.  They derived many of the names the classical terms in Greek and Latin roots.

Today we still use the Periodic Table of Elements in Chemistry and Binomial Nomenclature in Biology.  Binomial Nomenclature was created by a Swedish Botanist, Carolus Linnaeus, he even Latinized his own name.  In a Guide to Reference and Information Sources in the Zoological Sciences by Diane Schmidt, she states that:

Linnaeus’s Systema Naturae organized about 4,000 plant and animal species in hierarchical classification system from kingdom to species, organized by morphological characteristics.  Previously authors has a great deal of difficulty deciding how to arrange animal species,[…].  The most common system seemed to be alphabetical, except that it changed from language to language.  Linnaeus introduced another idea, binomial nomenclature, that helped solve the language problem, as well.  This innovation created a theoretically stable scientific name used by all biologists whatever their native tongue.

Linnaeus’ naming system, Binomial Nomenclature, made for less confusion and more stability in the naming of animal and plant species.  It is a two part naming system where they were originally called “Latin Names.”  Though many were Latin, Biologists later called them “Scientific Names” because some of the words were Latinized forms of names or other languages.   

In the Periodic Table of Elements; many of the elements use abbreviations that come from the Latin terms, though their names English.  Examples:

 Ag (Argentum) Silver

Fe (Ferrum) Iron

Au (Aurum) Gold

Why should Latin be studied for the Sciences?  Because it is useful.  Is it not nice to understand what you are talking about?  Many teachers and scientists agree that the study of Latin or Greek roots has helped them or if they had would help them more in their scientific field.

My aunt is a Marine Biologist.  Waving my hands at her, I brought up my right hand and stated, “Dextra Manus.”  Then I brought up my left, “Sinistra Manus.”  She laughed and said that it made sense now.  In the morphology of gastropods (snails) there is a types of snail where its shell spirals or whorls to the right and has an aperture on the right side.  The direction of these whorls is said to be dextral.  She then told me she had wished Latin or Greek had been a required, offered, course for her degree.

Maybe at minimum science courses should have their students work on the word roots.   “Students can gain a broad understanding of the science word’s meaning by identifying the root of a word” (Aaron, Joshi, Quatroche, 2008).  Learning something, like a little Latin, just to further your understanding of your study.

I thought this slide show has some potential for later use.

Learning science vocabulary through knowledge of Greek and Latin roots

View more presentations from nicolalritter

The study of Latin has some good potential.  It is great for those who wish to study the sciences.

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=EqJrbvJU4uwC&pg=PA4#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://www.slideshare.net/nicolalritter/NRitterPresentation

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3845/is_199901/ai_n8840343/pg_6/

http://www.bpc.edu/mathscience/chemistry/images/periodic_table_of_elements.jpg

English! Do You Speak English!?

I speak English, unfortunately American English.  I have fallen into many of the slurred traps and slang pitfalls that my language is prone too.  Though I may not speak the language as well as I could hope, I have a great grasp for the vocabulary. 

Words, I use them every day.  I use them to communicate meaning.  And today many of our words have more than one meaning, in context, slang, or connotation.  I’ll tell you, in my short time studying Latin; I have largely increased my understanding of the meanings of many words and found synonyms to help me with others. 

Synonyms, antonyms, definitions have become far easier for me since Latin.  In high school it was a boon to have such an understanding.  The vocabulary in my SAT and ACT was a breeze.  Too bad it didn’t help me more in math.  Later in my GKT the understanding of Latinate words helped me again.  Latinate are words derived from Latin, they are most of our polysyllabic words.

Undulate, to ripple, oscillate, roll from the Latin word unda, meaning wave. (ocean wave)

Laudatory, complimentary, commendatory from the Latin word laudare meaning to praise.

Accident, from the Latin word accidit meaning it happens.

Another English vocabulary helper is learning the prefixes and suffixes.  In Latin they are mostly prepositions.  Things like pre-, post-, anti-, pro-, -s, -est, and –er are all from Latin.

In a Latin forum (Latin word forum meeting place, town square) I frequent I found this from a student, "Maulrus", who didn’t know if they wanted to take a course in Latin.  They posted this about half way through their course.

 I have to say, I am astounded by how my budding knowledge of Latin has improved my English grammar. I've always considered myself quite proficient with English, but the amount of translation I've been doing has opened my eyes to shady areas such as relative clauses. My essay writing has improved thanks to what I perceive as better constructed sentences, and naturally my vocabulary has increased as well. Latin really is astounding.

He found that taking Latin is worth while.  He's received benefits from Latin and he isn't even done with the whole course.  An increase in his vocabulary at the very least.  What is the typical size of an American's vocabulary?

I didn't think that the typical size of an American's vocabulary was very big, considering the newspaper which is written at a fifth grade reading level.  Still I searched.  When I stumbled across several pages which had an Utne Reader article “Like Whatever.”  It argues that the typical American teenager of the 50’s had a vocabulary of 25,000 words; the teenager of today 10,000.  I acknowledge the diminishment of our vocabulary but wow that's huge. In further research I’ve found it’s a little different than that.  Reading is a big issue, if you don’t read you don’t increase your vocabulary.  There is an average amount of words we use every day and it is only a percentage of what we know.  We use variations of the same words as well.  Are they counted as new words?  Sebastian Wren, PhD. has studied vocabulary and its use.  He calls these clusters of words, like dance, dancing, dancer, and danced, “word families.”  In his studies he has found:

Somebody who dropped out of high school and does not read may only know 5,000 or 6,000 word families.

Somebody who finished high school and is able to read, but doesn't really make a habit of it may know closer to 10,000 word families.

Somebody who went to college and can read well, and makes a habit of reading popular books and magazines may know 15,000 word families.

A college graduate with a more "white collar" job may have a vocabulary of 20,000 word families -- almost 4 times as large as the unfortunate soul who dropped out of high school.

And of course, somebody with an advanced degree and an academic job could be familiar with 25,000 word families or more.

This is just how Latin can help with your vocabulary. 

There was a fun article I found by Xander Becket called “How Norman Invaders Wrecked Your Writing.”  Becket advocates against Latinate words, he says that short succinct sentences are the best.  he feels that shorter words have clearer meanings and that all his favourite authors hate "big words" too.  When the Normans invaded England they ruined our language by giving us Latinate words. Maybe they have ruined our writing, quick, concise sentences get points across better in writing and there is less misinterpretation.  In speech, it can be important to have a broader vocabulary.  Abstract thoughts and some ideas can only be expresses in certain terms.  M. Birch states that “[the] Latinate counterparts [to Germanic words] are longer, more abstract and are regarded as more elegant or educated."  And many times they help us express fine variations in our speech.

Learn some Latin, become more educated.  I think in many ways that is true.  I advocate that Latin should become a vital part of the school curriculum.  Latin vocabulary has many benefits, and if students aren’t reading as much as they should, it can still help them increase their vocabulary.

http://latindiscussion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10707

http://www.balancedreading.com/vocabulary.html

http://www.translationdirectory.com/article991.htm

http://www.axioun.com/tiparchive/072400.html

http://www.webpagefx.com/blog/general/how-norman-invaders-wrecked-your-writing/

So, Latin is Dead

 

Many people say Latin is no longer in use on a regular basis, that it is a dead language.  And it’s absolutely true in the strict sense of the word.  Language itself is ever changing.  Have you looked in the dictionary, especially one with an etymology in it?  Words have changed.  An example is peruse; in the late 1600’s it meant to read carefully.  Today most people use it to say they are browsing. 

Words change, vocabulary is added.  Language is living. 

Latin, on the other hand, has not been changed in years.  According to Wikipedia Latin texts were no longer understood by the common people between the 7^th and 8^th Century.  At that point in history new languages and dialects were appearing and education was falling by the wayside.  Latin was still spoken in church and by the noble houses.  Until after the Medieval Era, when the Catholic Church began to lose its influence, Latin was used in Mass and understood to that extent.

Outside of Catholic Mass and the Vatican, today Latin is not spoken.  Even in the Renaissance and until the 19^th century, understanding Latin was a noble’s, scholars’, or elitist’s language.  In the 17^th and 18^th centuries understanding Latin meant you had the money to gain some form of education.

Today, people don’t know what Latin is, unless I explain it.  An example I was talking to someone at work, I told him I am going to teach Latin.  He looked at me and said, “Really?  I didn’t know you knew Spanish.”  I told him I didn’t.  He was a little taken aback.  “Are you going to teach the culture then?”  When I told him no, he was shocked.  “Then what are you going to teach?”  I had to explain it and he still didn’t seem to completely understand.

So, Latin is dead.  It has not changed meanings of its words in years.  Not many people know what it is anymore and it is not noticed in our everyday lives.  I’ll give anyone that, until now.  Since starting my research, I have found Latin used in our everyday lives, we just don’t seem to know it.  Latin is used, and not just in exclusive circles anymore.  Recently there are the beginnings of a revival in Latin.  More people realizing its uses.  Many of its uses are still in the scientific and law based communities.  Words like canis lupus or ex post facto are Latin in origin.  English has its roots in the Latin language and people from the late 19^th century to the present have noticed its means for a fully fledged form of expression.  In other words, it’s becoming a language again.

Latin is dead as a language, that is that the language hasn't changed and I agree but it is still in use.  Latin is beginning a new life in Contemporary Latin.  Contemporary Latin is based on the old Latin but it is starting to add modern words like email, car, and Internet to its vocabulary it’s the “living Latin.”  A new life is being brought to this old language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=peruse&searchmode=none

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/nyregion/07latin.html

About Me

I am on a quest.  A journey that will hopefully help me find relevance for an old language in a modern world.  In a world significance is of the utmost importance, I’m on a hunt for the application of Latin in our society.

“certum est quia impossible est”  (“It is certain because it is impossible” -Tertullian)

I have an interest in teaching Latin in school.  I’m not just looking at private schools; I’m looking at making Latin an interest at any school. 

I took Latin in high school.  There I enjoyed the language, but I have to say other than the historical aspect of the Romans, I honestly didn’t learn much about the benefits of Latin.  I wish I had had even an inkling of how Latin can be used in our contemporary society.

“Fas est et ab hoste doceri” (“It is right to be taught even by an enemy.” – Ovid)

Later in college, I took Japanese.  I found it interesting and I saw the relevance and use of the language in the “real world.”  But it was a fleeting fancy; I really didn’t want to follow it through.  Funny enough, one day, years later, I read a book, The Lake of Dead Languages.  I remembered my interest in Latin.  It had Latin throughout the book; it was about a Latin teacher and her students.  With the job I hold now, I enjoy training my employees.  I like teaching.  I thought about it, I want to teach, more specifically, I want to teach Latin!

“assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit.” (“Constant practice devoted to one subject often outdoes both intelligence and skill.” –Cicero)

Now I’m learning Latin.  My biggest issue is making it worthwhile and fun for my future Latin students.

Most of the people in the United States look at school courses, hobbies, and jobs as how they best benefit them.  Like in sales, the idea of feature, function, benefit is what we look for.  What it is, what it does, and what it does for them. 

So here I am and what better place to find modern uses than with a modern source, the Internet.  This blog will be here for me to place my research and what I have found that might hold some relevance for students.  I want to make this accessible to anyone with an interest in Latin.  I also hope that I will be able to use this blog in a Latin course I teach.

“dimidium facti qui coepit habet” (“He who has begun has the work half done”  -Horace)