Discover the history, culture and literature of the Roman world by learning to read Latin, the language of Roman civilization from before the third century BCE until after the fall of Rome in the fifth century CE. Latin survived into the Middle Ages and the Renaissance as the language of scholarship, administration and law. It is still used as a living language in the Vatican and by Latin enthusiasts around the world.
At the elementary level, you will gain a solid, fundamental knowledge of forms, vocabulary, syntax and pronunciation that will prepare you to read Latin works in both prose and poetry by writers such as Cicero, Vergil and Ovid. You will also learn to speak some Latin—a skill not taught widely at Canadian universities.
Studying Latin is excellent preparation for learning the Romance languages of French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. Your knowledge of English will benefit from studying Latin which is the original source of most English words.
Courses
Questions?
Contact Anne-Marie Lewis at amlewis@yorku.ca for help with academic and administrative questions.