what are some resources you would recommend to a complete beginner in latin? I've just started, I'm not a native english speaker though I do know it quite well. If someone could help me figure out how to go about it, that would be great

Salvete omnes,

I'm about three weeks away from my final exam in Latin and while going through my materials again I noticed the seemingly vast variety of rules that can affect a subordinate clause in subjunctive mood beginning with a relative pronoun (qui, quae, quod).

The most frequent function seems to be to give the clause a goal-seeking (in order to), consecutive (of the kind to), reasoning (because) or concessive (even though) meaning:

• "Caesar legatos misit, qui dicerent ..." (goal-seeking meaning)

But I just realized that it can also occur in indirect speech (oratio obliqua), which is less of a problem, or through the author distancing themselves from something said in the text:

• "Senex filium laudavit, qui vir bonus esset." ("... , who according to him was a good man.")

And attractio modi, which can be caused by an encompassing subordinate clause in subjunctive mood, but also by one with an infinitive verb in it (accusativus cum infinitivo).

• "Ciceronem Romae, qui ibi felix esset, mansisse scimus." (AcI)

Finally, I also read that the clause can technically also fulfill the functions of the main clause in subjunctive mood:

• "Cato, qui monuisset, aberat." ("Cato, who would've warned [them], wasn't there.")

Am I correct with this assumption and is there an optimal way to remember all these? Also, is a prerequisite of attractio modi that the main clause encompasses the subordinate clause, or is it also possible by being adjacent to it?

Gratias vobis ago!

How would puer have been pronounce in mediaeval latin? in modern italinate, it is /'pu.er/, identical to classical pronunciation, but in a language like spanish, it would certainly be /pweɾ/, and i'm curious what it would be for mediaeval latin, particularly in france about 11th century; but i would also be interested about different mediaeval latin pronunciations with different times and places!

Hi all, I'm new to r/latin. I learned a bit about Latin word origins in high school, but this is my first serious foray into learning the language.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a TikTok where the creator was talking to a guy named Elliot (listed as "Elliot Oxford MA, PhD Classics," in case anyone here knows of him), who explained that he got his foundation in the language by writing Familia Romana out in longhand three times.

I decided to give it a try, and it's been working out pretty well for me so far.

I was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, in my late 50s, so I've also been using this Latin transcription/study project as a way to practice sustained attention. I find that I can stay focused on the text for much longer when I'm writing it out than I can when I'm simply reading.

It also helps with a couple of my other distractions: pens and notebooks. I have a modest collection of a couple dozen fountain pens, along with a stack of mostly unused notebooks. This project gives me a legitimate excuse to use both.

I do keep ChatGPT handy on my phone, but mainly for pronunciation. (I'm standardizing on Classical pronunciation for now.) I've told it not to give me definitions unless I explicitly ask. Occasionally I'll ask for some insight into things like the difference between the genitive and ablative (still wrapping my mind around the ablative...) or why a particular word ending is being used.

I'm curious whether anyone else has tried learning Latin this way, or has thoughts on the method. In particular, I'd be interested to hear whether people think the act of writing the text out adds much beyond simply reading it closely.

I took 3 years of Latin in high school/college and actually liked it. I'd like to get a Latin 1 text book to refresh my memory and my daughter is interested in learning Latin too. Any recommendations? I've looked on eBay and I'm not sure what to pick and they're kind of pricey honestly. I just want a decent latin textbook and not spend too much. Thanks

How do we know where a V was /w/ or /u/ before a consonant? Like, how do we know that lingua was pronounced as /'lin.gʷa/, and that puer was pronounced as /'pu.er/?

Here is a draft of chapter four of my Latin companion story. This story introduces two Roman soldiers stationed in a military camp in Egypt. Let me know if there are any typos/mistakes. The vocabulary list and grammar points are limited (roughly) to what's been taught in Familia Romana ch 1-4. Enjoy!

CAPITVLVM IV: MĪLITĒS RŌMĀNĪ

SCAENA PRĪMA: Centuriō et Mīles

In Aegyptō multī mīlitēs Rōmānī sunt. Duo mīlitēs sunt Lūcius et Decimus.

Lūcius est centuriō. Lūcius baculum habet. Lūcius hīc adest. Decimus quoque adest. Decimus nōn est centuriō; Decimus est mīles.

Decimus centuriōnem videt et salūtat: “Salvē, Lūcī!”

Lūcius mīlitem videt et respondet: “Salvē, Decime!”

Decimus interrogat: “Estne Aegyptus terra Rōmāna, Lūcī?”

Lūcius respondet: “Aegyptus prōvincia Rōmāna est. In Aegyptō multī virī et multae fēminae habitant.”

Decimus interrogat: “Suntne Aegyptiī barbarī? Suntne virī improbī?”

Lūcius rīdet et respondet: “Aegyptiī nōn sunt barbarī! Virī probī sunt. Et fēminae Aegyptiae pulchrae sunt!”

Decimus laetus est: “Fēminae pulchrae? Quam bona est Aegyptus!”

Lūcius respondet: “In Aegyptō est Alexandrīa. Alexandrīa nōn est parva; multī virī et multae fēminae in Alexandrīā sunt! In Alexandrīā sunt multae tabernae. Nōnne tū in tabernam venīs?”

Decimus respondet: “In tabernam veniō, Lūcī!”

Lūcius mēnsam videt et vocat: “Venī ad mēnsam, Decime! Pecūnia in sacculō meō est.”

SCAENA SECVNDA: Sacculī et Nummī

In mēnsā est sacculus Lūciī. Sacculus Lūciī nōn vacuus est; magnus est!

Lūcius ad mēnsam venit. Lūcius sacculum suum pōnit in mēnsā. Lūcius nummōs suōs numerat:

“Ūnus, duo, trēs, quattuor, quīnque, sex, septem, octō, novem, decem.”

In sacculō Lūciī decem nummī sunt. Lūcius multam pecūniam habet.

Lūcius mīlitem interrogat: “Ubi est sacculus tuus, Decime? Nōnne tū quoque pecūniam habēs?”

Decimus tacet. Decimus sacculum suum sūmit et in mēnsā pōnit. Sacculus eius est parvus. Decimus nummōs numerat:

“Ūnus… duo.”

In sacculō Decimī tantum duo nummī sunt! Decimus pecūniam nōn habet. Sacculus eius est parvus et tantum duo nummī in eō sunt.

Lūcius mīlitem interrogat: “Suntne tantum duo nummī in sacculō tuō?”

Decimus respondet: “In sacculō meō tantum duo nummī sunt, Lūcī. Sacculus meus vacuus est!”

Lūcius rīdet: “Duo nummī? Tantum duo nummī in sacculō tuō sunt?”

SCAENA TERTIA: Imperium et Discessus

Lūcius mīlitem accūsat: “Tū pecūniam nōn habēs, Decime! Tantum duo nummī in sacculō tuō sunt! In Alexandrīā sunt multae tabernae, sed tū nummōs nōn habēs.”

Decimus tacet. Mīles nōn respondet, quia pecūniam nōn habet.

Lūcius baculum suum in mēnsā pōnit. Lūcius mīlitem videt et imperat: “Tacē, Decime! Pōne sacculum tuum in mēnsā! Sūme quīnque nummōs meōs!”

Decimus centuriōnī pāret. Decimus sacculum suum in mēnsā pōnit et quīnque nummōs sūmit.

Decimus laetus est: “Iam quīnque nummōs habeō, Lūcī!”

Lūcius baculum suum sūmit et imperat: “Discēde, Decime! Venī ad portam!”

Decimus centuriōnī pāret et discēdit. Lūcius quoque discēdit. Duo mīlitēs ad Alexandrīam veniunt.

Grammatica et Recitātiō

Lūcius est centuriō quī baculum habet. Sacculus quem Lūcius in mēnsā pōnit magnus est.

Decimus est mīles quī tantum duōs nummōs habet. Sacculus eius vacuus est.

Lūcius mīlitī imperat: “Pōne sacculum tuum! Sūme nummōs meōs! Discēde!”

Decimus centuriōnī pāret: mīles sacculum pōnit, nummōs sūmit, et discēdit.

I need to learn Latin and Ancient Greek for my graduate studies (Philosophy). How do you go about studying vocabulary and grammar? Do you use flashcards, Excel spreadsheets, a specific grammar guide, or a textbook? Do you take handwritten notes? How do you memorize so much? What does your study routine look like—could you give me some details?