Interesting audio resources for learning Latin

[Lucia Horatia Adamas]

L. Horatia Adamas Ti. Publicio Graccho omnibusque S.P.D.

The Latin Circles tend not to be full immersion projects, although some use Latin exclusively. One in which I participated while visiting the city in question simply taught Latin from the Ørberg text. The conventicula / rusticationes / septimanae Latinae, however, are immersions, but the moderator (professor, etc.) will provide vocabulary unknown to the participants (that is, will answer questions and supply words; for instance, if someone wants to know how to say 'construction crane' in Latin, the professor / moderator will supply the word 'tolleno,' and its grammatical parts), and will also teach new vocabulary to the group. When I attended an immersion some years ago, we were given many pages of vocabulary on various topics in advance, and were taught more in class.

Generally, we recommend at least two years of Latin, or the equivalent, before entering an immersion session. There seems to be one in Virginia or West Virginia, however, which has a special session for beginners as well as one for more advanced participants. These immersions tend to last a week, and are fairly intensive--and not necessarily easy on the wallet, though some are more so than others. They are, however, marvelous experiences, and a wonderful way to gain fluency in Latin.

The University of Chicago may have a Latin Circle; the professor here who conducts one for the university students graduated from there. They might also have instruction in elementary Latin, as might several of the other universities and colleges in Chicago.

It will take some time to get through Ørberg; some Latinists praise the all-Latin text as being universal, but some students find it difficult. Assimil has merits, too, and has at least some modern vocabulary. For some prospective learners, the problem with Assimil is that they do not read any of the three modern languages in which Assimil is published (French, Italian, and German), but the Schola Latina Europaea atque Universalis provides its students with translations into English and Spanish. It's probably too late to enter their classes this year, though; school is likely to be in session, and the newer teachers prefer to close registrations long before the course creator wanted that to occur.

Valete!