University of Zagreb - Centre for Croatian studies

Name of course: Cultural history of Latin Topic: Modern Uses of Latin Name of holder: doc. dr. sc. Šime Demo Student: Kristina Jozak Date: 25. 4. 2014.

LatinChallengesThe fight for LatinOLMO's pamphletLatin as a toyPresenceModern ApplicationFuture of LatinPosition of LatinConclusion

LATINFor centuries, it served as the international

languageFrom 7th or 8th century – it was nobody's

native language, but it still remained the official language of the Church and political bodies (international diplomacy)

It was the main literary and scholarly language

Until 1900 authors were bilingual (the understanding is not complete if not compered the 2 versions – native language and Latin)

CHALLENGES During the late Middle Ages, the pressures from the

developing national tongues grew stronger (first on local level)

17th century, France introduced French in diplomacy next to Latin

Comparison (book fair in Francfort):◦ 1568: 494 books (331 in Latin)◦ 1778: 2169 book (348 in Latin)

The awakening romantic spirit, nationalism did not favor Latin

1773 Jesuit order suppressed – its schools closed, loosing contact with Latin-based authors

By the end of 18th century, Latin lost its social prestige and it stopped being the language of the ruling people.

Is it “out of all proportion to people’s knowledge of the language”?

THE FIGHT FOR LATIN The law provided that all courses must be taught in Latin

in UK (Southern provinces) and the Netherlands. 18th century, Latin served as a LINGUA FRANCA to native

speakers of different languages (In Latin, nobody is privileged since it is no one's mother tongue).

Until 1848, in Hungary and Croatia, parliamentary sessions were held in Latin

Occasional Latin poetry, or verses Italian, French and other languages were considered only

degenerated Latin and hence imperfect (since not organised and structured as Latin)

It persisted only in restricted areas of Theology (until 1960s);

Still in philological and philosophical dissertations, until today, in text of academic diplomes.

OLMO's PAMPHLET

Miguel Maria Olmo, Spanish priest, doctor of divinity and a canon at Seville

Pamphlet De lingua Latina colenda et civitate Latina fundanda, supporting the casue of Latin

Olmo was the ultimate effort to save Latin as the means of international communication

Warns on the prejudice when using our native tongue in communication with other speakers

Proposes the romantic idea of setting up a Latin speaking community (a new Latin city)

LATIN AS A TOYLatin being perceived as dreadfully serious!

To be used as a fun toolA new rise of Latin in the 20th century through

new production, translation of popular classics of non-serious nature (comics and children books) – gaining new popularity

Neo-Latin cultureLenard: Winnie the Pooh, the first success of

Latin translation (bestseller)Modern Latin is becoming less and less

Ciceronian, due to the less intimate knowledge of Ciceronian Latin in students

MODERN APPLICATION

The official language of the Roman Catholic Church (Vatican's annulment procedures in Latin)

Plant names in LatinLearning Latin for Latin scripture

translation work (research) since the culture is encoded in the language.

An intellectual status symbol.

PRESENCEWe are surrounded by Latin – inscriptions on

buildings:◦ Omnia scrinia habet in pectore sua (the truth is stored

here)◦ Rerum cognoscere causas – to know the cause of

things◦ Dum spiro spero – while I breathe I hope (on prisons)

Insignia, aphorism, epithetIn medicine, humanities, lawCurriculum vitaeTe Deum, songNota benePost scriptum

WHY LATIN? Study Latin for understandable, practical

reason: scoring better on SAT Verbal (poput državne mature u RH).

Latin expands vocabulary and improves reasoning skills.

Latin language reflects the society in which it developed (Roman Empire was highly organized and we have a lot to learn from them)

Love for history (translating stories from the Romans)

Positive neurological effect Other languages History Life

FUTURE OF LATIN

Far from being dead, Latin has an even augmented role precisely by virtue of its paucity or at least the highly limited public domain of its actual understanding.

The formula: The rarer its understanding in professional and academic circles, the more powerful and persuasive its manipulative or political effect.

Its misuse that marks its rhetorical force and its likely future.

POSITION OF LATIN

Is the study of Latin largely unconnected to understanding of the language or of the purpose of studying?

Goodrich: ‘’Latin, including the decision to use or cite Latin, needs to be translated and critically examined. Latin is not of itself the holder of a threat; it is no longer a mode of pedagogic punishment nor even necessarily the threatening sign of class superiority or domination. It can and in some contexts does, however, still have those functions, but only to the extent that the reader or audience allows.’’

CONCLUSION"When you lose a language, a large

part of the culture goes, too, because much of that culture is encoded in the language’’

Americans owe their laws, rights, and constitution to the Romans; everyone owes Rome for engineering, plumbing, viticulture, roads, the arch, and, eventually, the spread of Christianity.

Why are we even asking the question, "Should students learn Latin?"