Back From the Grave

It is rising from the grave.  No, not the zombies, but used long ago.  A language that still lurks in our own language, it's judicial system still thrives in ours, and its sayings are often used every day in our lives.  Latin.

It is making a comeback, in some small ways.  Latin is coming back into the lives of school children.  Only a small percentage of secondary schools host the privilege of teaching a Latin course.  Susan Vela from The Cincinnati Enquirer found that from 1990-1994 there was a 15 percent increase nationwide of students joining Latin programs.  When students were asked why, most talked about increased scores on standardized testing.  For other students it was hopes of entering a medical or law career.  There were still a few who just hoped it would help them in the future.  One of my favourite answers was from a 14 year-old, Ashlie Reker.  She stated, “You feel special when you speak Latin because it's a different language that all these great people spoke [speaking about Vigil, Caesar, and Cicero].  It makes you feel like you're a part of that.”

Amy High from Virginia is a teacher in a third grade class.  She feels that Latin will help open doors for many of her students.  One morning she comes in to class, decked out in a traditional pink dress and gold stole of an ancient Roman woman.  She engages her students with Latinate words and asks for the meaning.  After the students answer a question she replies “Plaudite!” and all of her students applaud.  She goes on to explain the Latin roots to her third graders. “Latin's going to open up so many doors for you,” High says. “You're going to be able to figure out the meaning of words you've never seen before.”

Teachers are seeing the benefits of this language.  Winnie Hu from the New York Times reported in 2008 that,

The number of students in the United States taking the National Latin Exam has risen steadily to more than 134,000 students in each of the past two years, from 124,000 in 2003 and 101,000 in 1998, with large increases in remote parts of the country like New Mexico, Alaska and Vermont.

There has been a steady increase of students taking the National Latin Exam.  Many students are also pushing for an Advanced Placement Latin course in their school.  There are actually a few places where Latin teachers are sought after. 

But that’s not to say that everyone, everywhere want to take Latin.  Many Latin programs are still being shut down, generally due to the lack of interest in the subject.  It is still a “dead” language.  People are starting to notice its usefulness and are beginning to embrace it.  I hope to see more stories like these soon.

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1999/01/24/loc_latin_rises_from.html

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,90457,00.html

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