Learning Latin club.

[stringbeanduck]

I know there are many folks here who would like to learn Latin including me. It would be great If we could all come together help each other learn this beautiful language. I don't intend this thread to fully replace a real course, but to help understand some of the words and their English translations.

[brotherhrolf]

You're already well on the way. So many words in English have their roots in Latin. You'll see.

[ora_pro_nobis]

I've done a couple of Latin courses, so feel free to ask me questions about the language.

[Cavaille-Coll]

What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow (African or European) in Latin?

[tee_eff_em]

Originally Posted by Cavaille-Coll

What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow (African or European) in Latin?

Velocitas hirundonis rusticae ad libitum est circiter undecim metra per tempus.
(cf http://www.style.org/unladenswallow/)


tee

[brotherhrolf]

Originally Posted by tee_eff_em

Velocitas hirundonis rusticae ad libitum est circiter undecim metra per tempus.
(cf http://www.style.org/unladenswallow/)


tee

Bravo! Made my morning for me!

[jackhf12]

I'd love to learn Latin, after all,
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina

Look that one up. Its great to use at parties

[tee_eff_em]

Originally Posted by tee_eff_em

Velocitas hirundonis rusticae ad libitum est circiter undecim metra per tempus.
(cf http://www.style.org/unladenswallow/)


tee

[I am surprised at myself for not having recommended the usual:]

Latin resources

And if anyone has anything to add to that thread, please do!
tee

[stringbeanduck]

Iam expectamus crasae pluvia.

What I tried to say was: "Now we wait for tomorrow's rain." Did I do it correctly? I still don't know alot about the language, but I think I'm coming along pretty good.

[jackhf12]

Originally Posted by stringbeanduck

Iam expectamus crasae pluvia.

What I tried to say was: "Now we wait for tomorrow's rain." Did I do it correctly? I still don't know alot about the language, but I think I'm coming along pretty good.

I tried in in this site http://www.translation-guide.com/fre...glish&to=Latin
and this is what I got
Iam nos exspecto cras pluvia

[tee_eff_em]

Originally Posted by stringbeanduck

Iam expectamus crasae pluvia.

What I tried to say was: "Now we wait for tomorrow's rain." Did I do it correctly? I still don't know alot about the language, but I think I'm coming along pretty good.

Cras is an indeclinable adverb and pluvia, as the object of our expectation must be cast in the accusative: pluviam or pluvias (singular or plural, with little difference in meaning).

Iam expectamus cras pluviam (vel pluvias).
Now we wait for tomorrow's rain (or rains).

Originally Posted by jackhf12

I tried in in this site http://www.translation-guide.com/fre...glish&to=Latin
and this is what I got
Iam nos exspecto cras pluvia

See above. Additionally, the explicit use of nos emphasizes that "we wait for ...", but expecto is first person singular, not plural, so the subject and verb are mismatched.
"Free" translation programs -- Worth every penny.

tee

[stringbeanduck]

I've also learned you can use "nunc" to say now. Is there any difference in the way we use "nunc" and "iam"?

[tee_eff_em]

Originally Posted by stringbeanduck

I've also learned you can use "nunc" to say now. Is there any difference in the way we use "nunc" and "iam"?

Not hard and fast, but a rule of thumb is that iam's meaning is a little broader than nunc.

Nunc pretty much means now-at-the-present-time and is useful (mostly) with the present tense.

Iam is now-contemporaneous-with-the-verb, so when the verb is present tense it means now, when the verb is past tense it means already, when the verb is future it means soon or at that time.

Again, not written in stone, but not far off.

tee

[stringbeanduck]

Yes I see thankyou. I have another question. I am now starting to learn how to write sentences with the the words I know. For example it(the book that I use) will give me a sentence in Latin and ask me to translate it back to English or vice versa. In English we say each word of the sentence in order, not the same in Latin as I am finding out. Most of the times the words are sort of jumbled which is why I find myself having trouble translating back and forth. Why is that so.

[tee_eff_em]

Originally Posted by stringbeanduck

In English we say each word of the sentence in order, not the same in Latin as I am finding out. Most of the times the words are sort of jumbled which is why I find myself having trouble translating back and forth. Why is that so.

The words in a Latin sentence are not "jumbled" nor are they "out of order". They are in order -- Just not in the same order as the words in an English sentence. Just because (you think) you have to "decode" a Latin sentence does not mean the Romans did so, nor is there any reason to believe this. The Romans could read fluently and comprehend, and so can you, with practice.

The classical Latin writings that have survived to today are exactly that: Classical. The common people (the vulgus) may have spoken that way, but certainly those who were composing and writing could take their time to craft their word order in a formalized style.

The vulgar (remember the vulgus?) Latin that developed into Church or Ecclessiastical Latin (and later Romance languages) does more often use a word order familiar to English. It also relies more on prepositions in addition to noun case.

A helpful resource for reading Classical Latin is Daniel Hoyos's Latin: How to Read It Fluently, available from the Classical Association of New England.

tee