Linguistics

Ecclesiastical Latin Versus Classical Latin

Almost all resources for teaching and learning Latin focus on ‘Classical Latin’, a term typically referring to texts written between the first century BC and the first century AD, though the delineation of these boundaries is somewhat arbitrary, having far more to do with which authors are most venerated than with any kind of linguistic …

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Why the Grammar-Translation Method Does Not Work (And What Does)

I’d like you to picture a young student sitting in a classroom. The subject is Introductory Spanish. On the blackboard is written the name of the teacher and the agenda for today’s class: “Pop quiz”.  Our teacher stands at the head of the class and calls on each student in turn.  “Michael, answer question 14.”  …

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What Are the Romance Languages? (And Are They Actually “Romantic”?)

The Romance languages: We love to learn them. Even as other languages rise in global significance, French, Spanish, and Italian remain among the most popular foreign tongues for English speakers to acquire.   For many of us, the Romance languages conjure up the best of Europe. We think of Venetian canals and the Eiffel Tower, idyllic …

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