Latin is a great way to help young people learn English grammar - their own language. Because they have mastered English by ear, it is hard for them to slow down and think about why one form of the verb is more correct than another, and so on. To them, it just sounds right and they move along quickly - unwilling to analyze and explain the "why" behind it. Latin opens the door for them to really understand parts of speech, forms of verbs, and functions of nouns. In Latin, they can’t go by what sounds good to the ear, they have to dissect each word and select the correct form. This deep dive into Latin grammar provides many “aha” moments for students when they return to English grammar. 

Latin requires students to slow down and think … analyze and apply what they know. Working through translation is challenging and it stretches a young mind and trains them in how to attend to detail, strive for accuracy, be thorough, and be patient in putting together all the pieces of a sentence. These are all great lessons for young people … and in the end, they have translated beautiful bits of literature and history. Powerful stuff. 

Sixty to eighty percent of English words are borrowed from Latin … and these tend to be the more advanced vocabulary. As our students learn more Latin, their English vocabulary grows right along as well. Here is just one example: Audire means to hear in Latin … In English, we use this root for audible, audience, audiology, audiovisual, audit, audition, auditor, auditorium, and auditory. In this case, one Latin word unlocks the meaning of all nine words! There are endless examples of this. Students that are alert might also see that businesses today still harken back to Latin when selecting a name … Panera, Magnavox, Verizon, Volvo, Audi, and Fonterra to name a few. 

Learning is all about connections … building upon the schema we have to add new information and ideas. Latin is a kind of glue that connects so many different disciplines. Science, math, logic, literature, history, law, medicine, philosophy, and theology all have roots in the Latin language. Once students understand this and have built up a solid Latin vocabulary - it is an exciting discovery for them. So many connections create deeper understanding and enhance one’s ability to grasp meanings and retain them.   

With all this in mind, one cannot call Latin a dusty, old language to be set aside. At Brookfield Academy, Latin is not dead - not at all. In the words of G. K. Chesterton, “ Latin is not dead, it’s immortal.”