LATN203:
Understanding Spoken Latin

Monmouth College:  Spring 2005

Thursdays, 1 credit, WH 114

Thursdays 8:00–8:50 A.M.

Prerequisite: LATN101 or equivalent

Instructor: Prof. Vicki Wine (Office WH 14, x2166)

Course Goals: to develop listening skills in Latin and to comprehend spoken Latin 

Format: The syllabus focuses on the FORUM ROMANUM video series developed by the National Latin Exam. These excellent videos present oral Latin and Roman culture in a T.V. news format.

Click on the image to link with  FORUM ROMANUM.

The course uses these videos in the following way.

A video in the series will be shown to the students in class. They will listen and gain increasing comprehension with the aid of a study guide and questions. After watching the video, they will be given a transcript of the show, which they will read for homework. In the next class they will watch the show again and complete a question sheet (in English or Latin) about the show. The class will end with a showing of the next video in the series.

In addition to the use of the Forum Romanum videos, other activities may include music using spoken Latin (like Mozart's "Requiem") and daily oral dictation exercises.

Grading:
50%  Quaestiones
50%  Dictationes

Map Work: List of Places Mentioned in Forum Romanum

The following schedule suggests an approximation of what the course will cover each week.

Week 1,  January 20

Orations; Forum Romanum 1; music

Week 2, January 27

Forum Romanum 1 again; music

Week 3, February 3

Forum Romanum 1 final; music; Forum Romanum 2

Week 4, February 10

Forum Romanum 2 again; music/ Quis, Quid, Quot, Quo

Week 5, February 17

Forum Romanum 2 final; music or--; Forum Romanum 3

Week 6, February 24

Forum Romanum 3 again; music or--

Week 7, March 3

Forum Romanum 3 final; music or--; Forum Romanum 4

Week 8, March 17

Forum Romanum 4 again; music or--

Week 9, March 24

Forum Romanum 4 final; music or--; Forum Romanum 5

Week  10, March 31

Forum Romanum 5 again; music or--

Week 11, April 7

Forum Romanum 5 final; music or--; Forum Romanum 6

Week 12, April 14

Forum Romanum 6 again; music or--

Week 13, April 21

Forum Romanum 6 final; music or--; Forum Romanum 7

Week 14, April 28

Forum Romanum 7 again; music or--

Week 15, May 3

Speeches; Forum Romanum 7 final; music?

I would like each student to select his or her choice of material to purchase.  The student will specialize in this area and be tested on the final accordingly.

Bibliography:

DVD of Forum Romanum ($39.95; Contains all 24 programs and scripts)

Quis me amat? ($9.95)

Quid edam? ($9.95)

Quot animalia? ($9.95)

Quo colore est? ($9.95)

The four books above may be purchased as a series with a CD.

Rome’s Golden Poets CD ($30.00)

Vergil’s Dido and Mimus Magicus CD ($30.00)

A word on plagiarism:
Plagiarism is copying someone else's work without giving credit. Such copying--from a book, another classmate's paper, or any other source--is dishonest. Any student submitting plagiarized work will receive a failing grade for that assignment. If two papers with identical or nearly-identical work are submitted by different students, both papers will receive a failing grade.

Caveat:
This syllabus is subject to revision by the instructor, provided that written or verbal notice is given in class.

Some Useful Websites on the Latin language

This  material has been published on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz for his students at Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.

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