We have a new post up on the Academic Blog in which I offer six reasons why you need to learn Latin, and why you need to begin learning it today.
Check it out: https://bit.ly/2Jved3d
The Editor
I was curious and went to the site. I immediately signed off - I will not go to sites that immediately blot out what I'm trying to look at with a pop-up ad.
Longtime Logos user (more than $30,000 in purchases) - now a second class user because I won't pay them more every month or year.
Alex Scott: I was curious and went to the site. I immediately signed off - I will not go to sites that immediately blot out what I'm trying to look at with a pop-up ad.
If you aren't using an ad blocker, that's on you.
Virgil Buttram: Alex Scott: I was curious and went to the site. I immediately signed off - I will not go to sites that immediately blot out what I'm trying to look at with a pop-up ad. If you aren't using an ad blocker, that's on you.
Sad but true, it’s on you! I didn’t get any pop ups so it must be you 👍😁👉
have ad pop blocker and it still comes up...so who's it on now?
I didn't get past the secret coded site name, which could just as easily be the real site name (though easily fakable). But once there, I agree. I love sites that try to anger visitors if at all possible. "In your face, you ungrateful visitor!!"
Regarding latin, I refused most of the numbered reasons ... they make sense, if Christianity is a Mediteranian cosmos thing. Chinese is more interesting.
Morning Tavis! Ok, so latin is important and I'm enjoying my Vulgate interlinear!
Tavis Bohlinger: We have a new post up on the Academic Blog in which I offer six reasons why you need to learn Latin, and why you need to begin learning it today. Check it out: https://bit.ly/2Jved3d The Editor
Not to rain on your parade but as of today, a standard requirement for all doctoral students of biblical studies is a mastery of the following languages: Biblical Hebrew, Koine Greek, for obvious reasons; and German and French, because all of the major secondary literature is in either German or French (particularly true for the study of the DSS where French is the primary language used to discuss scrolls research). I personally found no need to learn Latin, and it certainly wasn't ever required of me.
Having said that, a generation ago, they also required doctoral students of biblical studies to also have a mastery of Latin. This was because most of the classic commentaries (e.g. Bengel, Meyer, Alford, etc) were either written entirely in Latin, or they quoted Latin authors extensively with no complementary English translation parallel to the quotes. But as I said, because the world has moved on, this is no longer a requirement. Almost no one nowadays quotes authors in Latin.
All in all, I would say if you want to study Patristics seriously, or want to seriously study one of the deuterocanonical or pseudepigraphic books which have been preserved primary in Latin (e.g. 5-6 Ezra or the Latin Vision of Ezra), then Latin is obviously a must-have. Other than that, I really don't see the point of learning it. The time spent learning Latin could be better spent learning other more useful things, such as for example, Aramaic, or Ethiopic (or to give it its correct name: Ge'er, as the most important deuterocanonical or pseudepigraphic books such as 1 Enoch or Jubilees have been principally preserved in Ethiopic).
Dr David Staveley Professor of New Testament. Specializing in the Pauline Epistles, Apocalyptic Judaism, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Hi Denise! Gotta love the Vulgate, it makes for a good breakfast!
Hi Alex, it is quite annoying, isn't it? I'm working to get it removed. The article is worth your time, if you can get past the pop-up.
I also have an ad-blocker installed on Chrome, which is Adblock Plus. I also visited the page but didn't get any pop-ups telling me to disable it. I wonder if it's because I also have TemperMonkey installed, using the Anti Adblock Killer (i.e. "Reek") plugin.
EDIT -
I just tried disabling Tempermonkey, and re-visited the site. But it still didn't trigger any pop-ups. So, that rules out that little theory.
I'm curious to know, exactly what ad-blocker are you using? And what browser?
Dustin Pearson: have ad pop blocker and it still comes up...so who's it on now?
It’s on your computer 👍😁👌
DAL
Maintaining my Greek is about all I have time for. I think "need to learn Latin" may be a bit of an overstatement.
Reading Latin Vulgate from a paper version is my summer cottage hobby. No need for dictionaries, just guessing the meaning of the less common words. Sitting in the verandah and fantasizing that I am somewhere near Bay of Naples. What could be better?
Gold package, and original language material and ancient text material, SIL and UBS books, discourse Hebrew OT and Greek NT. PC with Windows 8.1
Tavis Bohlinger:I offer six reasons why you need to learn Latin, and why you need to begin learning it today.
Thanks for the encouragement Tavis. I have started to learn Latin but more recently my study has languished. There is so much I would love to study and so little time.
By the way, this is the resource I'm using to learn Latin. What are others using?
Using adventure and community to challenge young people to continually say "yes" to God
David Staveley: Other than that, I really don't see the point of learning it. The time spent learning Latin could be better spent learning other more useful things, such as for example, Aramaic, or Ethiopic (or to give it its correct name: Ge'er, as the most important deuterocanonical or pseudepigraphic books such as 1 Enoch or Jubilees have been principally preserved in Ethiopic).
Other than that, I really don't see the point of learning it. The time spent learning Latin could be better spent learning other more useful things, such as for example, Aramaic, or Ethiopic (or to give it its correct name: Ge'er, as the most important deuterocanonical or pseudepigraphic books such as 1 Enoch or Jubilees have been principally preserved in Ethiopic).
Yeah, I agree. Latin would be nice to know, but to say someone "needs" to know Latin is a huge stretch, especially since there are so many other options as skill sets a scholar may choose to invest their time in.
Not to discount your experience, David, but I think you speak mostly for a US and possibly British context. In Germany, however, Latin is an absolute requirement. You cannot pursue a doctorate in Germany (which is tuition-free) without having a decent command of Latin. This demonstrates a real respect for the theologians that came before them, as well as granting them a tool for research into sources older than just a generation previous. Although I needed Latin for my dissertation topic, I've found it to be useful far beyond just the primary texts I was working with.
Keep up the study! I used "Latin via Ovid", but my daily practice now is reading from the Vulgate and/or Seneca.
I need to learn Latin so I can read my diploma, LOL!
Tavis Bohlinger: Keep up the study! I used "Latin via Ovid", but my daily practice now is reading from the Vulgate and/or Seneca.
Tavis: a favour, please. U work 4 FL, yet r nor quoting who U r responding to. Please quote to induce ease of understanding.
Bill Anderson:I need to learn Latin so I can read my diploma, LOL!
Now, I am curious: may I ask what it is?