by Ken Myers
For a few hundred years shy of 3,000, Latin has been a spoken language constantly developing other languages since its use in the Roman Empire. It is the source of many words in the English dictionary and has had a profound impact on words in the European Union. Although Ancient Latin isn't supported by any one country, learning to speak the variants of it can give personal insights to which you've never realized.
A great deal of the English vocabulary has been derived from Latin words. By learning where these words came from, you gain a deeper appreciation of the language and a greater understanding of what impact words actually have. English isn't the only language that has derived words and meanings from Latin. A great deal of European words and meanings have been assimilated into cultural languages. It a testament to how much of an impact the Roman Empire actually had centuries ago when civilized cultures were forming.
As a large portion of the sciences in school use Latin words for material, learning the language can help the educational practices of students within those subjects. It's like preparing the student's mind for the content he or she is about to learn. For instance, learning how baseball is played through watching the game throughout the season and playing with friends increases the ability of a child knowing how to play it well when he or she is trying out for the school's team.
A lot of Latin words and phrases are still in use today. Understand the real meaning of "ad hoc" can help those understand computer networking better, for example. Knowing what the meaning of these used phrases that are still in use could help in many areas of your life such as: law, medicine, and politics. Many legalisms are clouded with Latin terms and some will use this cloud to their advantage. By understanding Latin, you could prevent becoming a victim to misunderstanding.
It's not every day that you run into someone who can speak fluent Latin. As this language is thousands of years old, it has a specific sound to it that stands out from the rest. Many will learn to speak Latin for the sheer enjoyment of learning the ancient living language. As some may view Latin as the language of love, it could also be used to help set a mood for your significant other.
Some may argue that learning to speak Latin could help reinforce your knowledge of root words to assist in learning other languages. There may be some truth to this view as many languages utilize derivatives of Latin words in their spellings and meanings. By having prior knowledge of how the root words are created, you can theoretically have a deeper understanding of the language you are studying.
Whether you are a scholar, curious, or you're bored at home learning a new language can enlighten you about the culture from which it came. Understanding Latin could open deeper understanding into your primary language. Sentence structure could begin to make more sense, and you could use your prowess of speaking Latin at parties to become the center of attention.
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Ken Myers is the founder of www.longhornleads.com and has learned over the years the importance of focusing on what the customer is looking for and literally serving it to them. He doesn't try to create a need, instead he tries to satisfy the existing demand for information on products and services.
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