This Week's Latin Phrase:

magna cum laude - with greatest praise

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.  Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate." - Psalm 127:4-5

Why Study Latin?

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We've all heard it said that Latin is a dead language.  So if Latin died with the Roman Empire, why would we study it in the 21st century?

1) Studying Latin will improve your student's English skills.

About half of all English words are derived from Latin.  So understanding Latin will greatly improve your student's understanding of English.  For example, the Latin word verbum is translated in English, word.  From this Latin word we get English words such as verbal, verbose, vernacular, verbage, and verbatim.  Obviously, knowing this Latin root is a great help in understanding multiple English derivatives.  Studying Latin will complement Language Arts, boosting your student's English vocabulary.

2) Latin provides a great basis for the study of other Romance languages.

The Romance Languages, such as Spanish, French, and Italian, are derived from Latin.  If your student later decides to study one of these widely-spoken languages, much of what he/she learns in Latin will transfer, providing a great foundation.

3) Fluency in Latin opens up a wide library of ancient Roman classics.

Few students read many of the great ancient classics.  Fewer still read them get the opportunity to read them in their original form.  Studying Latin opens up the opportunity for students to study classic literature that has lasted for centuries.  While an elementary-aged student may not be ready to tackle Virgil, he/she can begin learning the language now and read the classics in high school.

For a more comprehensive article on the benefits of Latin study, consider this article from Classical Academic Press.