LATIN 111

with Margaret Cook

Fall 2008

Odd days, 11:20, Quad 252

My Office: Quad 255A

My Office phone: 3103

My Office hours: 1-3-5 days, 1 Ð 2 PM or by appointment (usually I'll be in my office by 10 AM every day) Feel free to drop by at other times, but I can't promise to be free.

Latin was the language of the people who for a long time held dominion over a good portion of Europe, the Near East, and Northern Africa. The political and intellectual influence of the ancient Romans was so widespread that Latin was a language that touched the lives of most people in the world known to Europeans for hundreds of years, and the language and culture had such a great impact that, long after the fall of the Roman Empire, Latin was a standard language among educated people throughout the western world. It is the foundation of several languages spoken today, such as French, Italian, and Spanish, and it has had a great impact on the development of English. A good knowledge of Latin will open the doors to an acquaintance with an ancient culture that has shaped our own immeasurably, and it will at the same time help greatly with an understanding of the way our own language works.

During this first semester you will 1) learn the basic structure of sentences in any European language and, specifically, how this structure is managed in Latin (which is different from the way it's managed in English!); 2) understand the concept of noun, adjective, and verb endings and learn the endings of all nouns and of most active verbs in the indicative in all tenses; 3) acquire a good working vocabulary along with the ability to tailor the words to suit their function in a sentence; 4) be able to read simple sentences in the active voice and translate simple English sentences into Latin; and 5) gain familiarity with aspects of the culture of the ancient Roman world.

Aug 27     Introduction

Aug 29     Chapter 1 (Grammar and Vocabulary)Vocabulary Quiz 1

Sept 2     Chapter 1 (Exercises)    Grammar Quiz 1

Sept 4     Chapter 2 (G & V)Vocab Quiz 2

Sept 8     Chapter 2 (Ex) Grammar Quiz 2

Sept 10     Chapter 3 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 3

Sept 12     Chapter 3 (Ex)

Sept 16     Story 1-3    Grammar Quiz 3

Sept 18     Chapter 4 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 4

Sept 22     Chapter 4 (Ex)    Story 4    Grammar Quiz 4

Sept 24     Chapter 5 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 5

Wednesday is "Benedictine Heritage Day" and interrupts the cycle

Sept 25     Chapter 5 (Ex)    Story 5    Grammar Quiz 5

Sept 29     Chapter 6 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 6

Oct 1     Chapter 6 (Ex)    Story 6    Grammar Quiz 6

LONG WEEKEND

Oct 7         Chapter 7 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 7

Oct 9         Chapter 7 (Ex)

Oct 13     Story 7    Grammar Quiz 7

Oct 15     Midterm Exam

Oct 17     Chapter 8 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 8

Oct 21     Chapter 8 (Ex)    Story 8    Grammar Quiz 8

Oct 23     Chapter 9 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 9

Oct 27     Chapter 9 (Ex)    Story 9    Grammar Quiz 9

Oct 29     Chapter 10 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 10

Oct 31     Chapter 10 (Ex)    Story 10    Grammar Quiz 10

Nov 4     Chapter 11 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 11

Nov 6     Chapter 11 (Ex)    Story 11    Grammar Quiz 11

Nov 10     Chapter 12 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 12

Nov 12     Chapter 12 (Ex)    Story 12

Nov 14     Review verb forms, Grammar Quiz 12

Nov 18     Chapter 13 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 13

Nov 20     Chapter 13 (Ex)    Story 13

Nov 24     Review, Grammar Quiz 13

NOV 26 - 28 THANKSGIVING BREAK

Dec 1     Chapter 14 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 14

Dec 3     Chapter 14 (Ex)    Story 14    Grammar Quiz 14

Dec 5     Chapter 15 (G & V)    Vocab Quiz 15

Dec 9     Chapter 15 (Ex)    Story 15    Grammar Quiz 15

Dec 11     Review

Dec 17     Final Exam, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (sorry!)

 

On the days marked "Grammar and Vocabulary," you are expected to have read through the chapter of Wheelock, memorized the vocabulary, and started memorizing the grammar. We will translate the "Practice and Review" sentences in class, so do as many as you can in preparation for class, and note those which you had trouble with. On days marked "Exercises," you will come to class having written out the translation sentences in the Self-Tutorial Exercises at the back of Wheelock and checked them against the answer key, plus whatever "Practice and Review" sentences in the chapter itself we did not cover in class. Be prepared to translate the "Sententiae Antiquae" in class. For the days marked "Story," usually the same as "Exercises" days, read carefully the story in the book by Groton and May and be prepared to translate in class.

We will have 30 quizzes: a vocabulary quiz (10 points) on the first day and a grammar quiz (25 points) on the final day of each chapter. Attendance is important in this class, and I don't enjoy trying to tell whether excuses are genuine or bogus, so my policy is this: I will allow a maximum of three quizzes made up, for any reason, including illness. You must make up quizzes before the next class after your return (e.g. if you miss a Monday quiz and are in class Wednesday, the missed quiz must be made up before class Friday.) You will count your best 14 (of the 15) vocabulary quizzes (140 points), and the same for the grammar quizzes (350 points). The midterm counts 100 points and the final exam 200. The final grade will be gauged according to this scale:

A 734-790 93% +

AB 687-733 87%

B 640-686 81%

BC 592-639 75%

C 553-591 70%

CD 513-552 65%

D 474-512 60%