"We are told that it is proper to begin first with the Latin, and, having acquir'd that, it will be more easy to attain those modern languages which are deriv'd from it. It is true that, if you can clamber and get to the top of a staircase without using the steps, you will more easily gain them in descending; but certainly, if you begin with the lowest you will with more ease ascend to the top; and I would therefore offer to the consideration of those who superintend the education of our youth, whether, since many of those who begin with the Latin quit the same after spending some years without having made any great proficiency, and what they have learnt becomes almost useless, so that their time has been lost, it would not have been better to have begun with the French, proceeding to the Italian, etc.; for, tho', after spending the same time, they should quit the study of languages and never arrive at the Latin, they would, however, have acquired another tongue or two, that, being in modern use, might be serviceable to them in common life."
-Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography
4 comments:
I, having never taken Latin, but having seen your grasp of languages because of your training in it, question the assertion by Mr. Franklin. I am interested in your take on it.
I like this quote more for the amazing rhetoric than anything else, to tell the truth. However, about Franklin's main point. I do not agree that only living languages are of use in common life. I speak as one who knows some Latin, and I can say that it has been more than worth the struggle of learning it. Latin has helped me, on more than one occasion, to understand both foreign languages and my own English language.
However, I have also seen far too many people give up on language (or on a school) altogether because of Latin's difficulty, and I think it most piteable. Due to a number of factors, I managed the staircase without the stairs, and I consequently experience some of the philological glory described above. I think that Latin first is ideal, but is it best for everyone?
I wish I had learned a language other than Latin, maybe Spanish. I feel like I don't have time now to take any language courses, so I am stuck with being able to read a dead one.
I'm not saying the years of study were worthless. It certainly improved my English vocabulary.
I just wish my language time had been put towards being able to speak a current language.
Perhaps the remedy for Richard's consideration would be to require multiple language courses. First would come Latin, which would be later supplemented or replaced by Romance languages. It would be harder to balance out the language courses with other core courses, but it would solve the dead language problem.
I am thinking of doing this on my own, by the way... just picking up a Spanish textbook and learning it myself. Once my roommate read me a story in Spanish and I understood enough of the spoken language to tell her the plot of the story when she had finished. That's how much Latin helps! I'm thinking it will be fairly easy to learn most of each of the Romance languages, and I think it would be a pretty cool accomplishment. Ten years maybe? Five languages? Hmmmmm....
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