h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi all its only me glad to see the thread being in good use keep up the love of latin from opti

Odi et Amo (my bf at times ok maybe not hate always but he tends to be acting very childish recently which annoys me)

lets see if i can remember this properly

Radix malorum est cupiditas

the root of all evil is cupidity

a nice moral i think

As I just recently said over on the 'I want to join the Language Thing' thread, I'd be willing to head up the Latin department (if it's not too huge a burden), though I'm only just starting my third year of the language. I'm good at teaching Latin (as I know by endlessly trying to explain concepts to kids in my class) and would be happy to help any way I can.

I have 'Asterix apud Britannos' (which ends up being the English book 'Asterix in Britain', but wouldn't it translate literally to something more like 'Asterix Among the Britons'?) It's really amusing, though, and I like reading the English and Latin side by side.

Tristis sum quod Latina 'lingua mortua' est. Omnia dicendus sunt! Si omnia Latinam dixerunt, terra melior erit.

----
Translation:

I am sad because Latin is a 'dead language'. Everyone ought to speak it! If everyone did speak Latin, it will [I meant to say would, but couldn't think how] be a better world.

EMR

Hello as you may or may not know I started the latin thread

I'm also in my third year as a student and think if you want to take this thread on then its yours ... not sure theres anything more i can add and it would be great to see it in some lover of latins hands

Okay guys, here's the deal.

You get four people (including you two) to post on here saying they want a Latin thread, and I will start a dept for you. That may seem harsh but theres no point if theres only going to be two of you doing it. You may want to contact people on the Latin list in the members page to see if they want to do it.
Sorry Im making you do this, I would, but as I dont speak any Latin it should be Joe's job. If you can wait then Joe will be back within the next fortnight hopefully and he can do it.

Katkat

post 64 :

Tristis sum quod Latina 'lingua mortua' est. Omnia dicendus sunt! Si omnia Latinam dixerunt, terra melior erit.:


Filii mei opinionis tui sunt: lingua latina lingua melior est


My sons are your opinion, that the latin language is the best language.

Thanks loads! Latin gets its press at last!!!!!

EMR

Et ratio Latina lingua maxima est? Mater est Linguarum Romanarum omnium!

And the reason Latin is the greatest language? It's the mother of all the Romance Languages!

EMR

OK, sorry for these constant repeat postings, I just posted to the people who were on the 'speakers and learners of Latin' list and told them all to post here. We'll see what happens....

EMR

Next fortnight? That's a bit optimistic, Kat...

But when I am back, I'd be happy to loiter - I'm a bit out of practice, since I haven't used Latin for about five months...

I have a long weekend right now (GO CUP DAY!!) and I'd be happy to create the department in the next 2 days. Do you want me to?

Cat

Do you speak latin chris?

Ita vero! Ita vero!

(Yes! Yes!)

Department is GOOD.

Personaly I think Latin deserves a department,
I would have loved to have had the chance to learn Latin at school
but I couldnt so i picked up the little I could from books (chaucer mainly... which tells you a lot about what latin i know) and it could be very educational (for me at least) to have a latin dept

Right.

Kat and I have discussed this, and we have three major concerns.

1.) Is there sufficient interest to warrant a Latin-speaking area? If it's only a few people, it might be best to stick to one thread.
2.) If there is sufficient interest, would it be viable? Most people learning Latin only learn set phrases (Caecilius est in atrio. Caecilius is in the atrium.); is this what people want?
3.) If this is what people want, is there anyone prepared to run the thing? I don't have the experience to do it, and probably not enough time to devote to it to make sure it gets all it deserves. Would anyone be interested?

Ideas, replies, comments, rants, large boxes of chocolate truffles with cards saying "To Kat and Joe and Chris, the best Language Thing Editors ever" would all be appreciated

Here's the bribe."To Kat and Joe and Chris, the best Language Thing Editors ever"!

I'm in my third year of Latin now, which I'm studying with a tutor. My lessons focus not on gaining a rote knowledge of set phrases, but rather in amassing a large enough knowledge of grammar and vocabulary to be able to sight-translate classical passages. The object of such study is to be able to do well on one of the Advanced Placement Latin exams in a few years, so that I can get language credit for school and for university. Latin classes in actual schools here in the USA (found more on the east coast) also focus on this same objective, much like any other language course.

Personally, I take an interest in conversational Latin, and I enjoy casually discoursing in Latin, but there's really no one to do this with except myself. A Latin department would allow for threads both to talk in conversational Latin (which, trust me, can be done) and to teach/learn Latin, which, as a dying language, it is all too important that we teach to as many people as possible. I don't know about here on h2g2, but I do find that there are lots of people in my offline life (parents' colleagues, etc) who regret not having had the chance to learn Latin. Even if there weren't enough people with an interest in speaking in Latin, a few people with a good knowledge of the language could pass that knowledge on to others.

That's my argument. I could run the thing, I suppose, but if there's anyone else with more experience than me, please be my guest. All I desire is a forum in which to employ a language that no one in my normal life (except my dad, my Latin tutor and me) cares about.

EMR

*sits nibbling *

good argument, points neatly put.

Now we just have to wait for...say...two more people to want it...or until I can't take it anymore and just create it. I'll learn latin if you are willing to teach it...from the very beginning.

Leave it a few days, see if others apart from you and Anthea want it, and then I will be happy to create it and crown you a HoD. Our previous concerns still stand though at the minute.

The only latin I know is my school motto. And some stuff from a Terry Pratchett book, but I don't actually know if either of the above are proper latin...

Kat, what about B'lana ( bout the spelling...) and that other person about half the page up who said they started the thread and am also a 3rd year latin student? That's 4.

Besides which, does it really matter how many departments we have?

Cat *takes some of the used to bribe her and nibbles on it* (I'm Chris, btw, for anyone who doesn't know...)

B'Elana and Opti Strong Hands are who I meant...