Intro to Latin

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Introduction to Latin

Introduction to Latin

Susan C. Shelmerdine

University of North Carolina, Greensboro

2005 • 1-58510-116-8 • paper • 352 pages • 7 x 10 • $29.95

For college departments of Classics or Latin offering a course in introductory Latin, employing a traditional approach through grammar, readings and exercises. This text is designed as a full year, grammar-based course, and is designed to be completed, even for courses meeting only three times a week.

| About the Author | Table of Contents | Ancillaries | Preface | Review |

Description

Shelmerdine's text is designed to be a complete, but streamlined introductory course in Latin. It covers all aspects of Latin grammar in a familiar pedagogical flow, with brief explanations of English grammar as needed within the text itself, providing students with an intext reference point for new Latin material. "Real Latin" readings occur throughout the text, early and often, in the form of sentences and short passages. They are unconnected, providing the instructor the option of covering them as time and need allows.

A variety of exercises provide different approaches to mastery of the language, especially in the early chapters. The text is designed as a streamlined and uncluttered approach to Latin and grammar, providing a complete course, but without the nuance of more advanced explanations that hinder the first year student's mastery of the material. Shelmerdine's text focuses on the first year students' need to know and ability to master, in the hopes that success itself will breed further success and satisfaction on the part of the student.

Sample Pages

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Author

Dr. Susan C. Shelmerdine is professor and head of the department of Classical Studies at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. She earned her PhD at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include Archaic Greek literature, Homer, Mythology, Ancient Religion, and Greek and Latin pedagogy.

Table of Contents

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The Latin Alphabet and Pronunciation

1.   Introduction to the Sentence
       Parts of Speech
       What Different Words Do
       Sentence Patterns: Intransitive, Transitive
   The Verb: 1st and 2nd Conjugations
       Present Active Indicative and Infinitive
       Principal Parts
       Indicative Uses: Statements, Questions
       Infinitive Use: Complementary Infinitive

2.   Latin Cases
       Nominative and Accusative Case Uses
   The Noun: 1st and 2nd Declensions
       Gender
       Dictionary Entry
   The Conjunction
   A Note on Reading Latin: Using Expectations

3.   Genitive Case
       Uses: Possession, Part of the Whole
   Dative Case
       Uses: Indirect Object, Reference
   Sentence Pattern:
       Intransitive Verbs used with a Dative
   Expectations

4.   The Adverb; Adverbial Modification
   Ablative Case
       Use: Means/Instrument
   The Preposition: Uses with the Accusative and Ablative
       Expressions of Place
   Word Order

5.   The Adjective: 1st and 2nd Declensions
       Agreement
   The Gap
   Present Indicative and Infinitive of Sum
       Sentence Pattern: Linking
   More Uses of the Ablative:
       Accompaniment
       Manner

READING CHAPTER 1

6.   Imperfect and Future Active Indicative
       1st and 2nd Conjugations
   Commands
       1st and 2nd Conjugation Imperatives
   Vocative Case
       1st and 2nd Declensions

7.   3rd Declension Nouns
   Imperfect and Future of Sum
   Dative of Possession
   i-Stem Noun Reference Section

8.   Perfect Active Indicative and Infinitive
       1st and 2nd Conjugations
   Historic Present
   Forms of Possum
   Infinitive Use: As a Noun

9.   3rd Conjugation:
       Present Active Indicative and Infinitive
       Present Active Imperative
           The Pronoun: Part 1
       Personal pronouns: Egō, Tū

10.   The Pronoun: Part 2
       Demonstrative pronouns: Is, Ea, Id; Hic, Haec, Hoc; Ille, Illa, Illud
   Special Adjectives in -ius
   Sentence Pattern: Factitive

READING CHAPTER 2

11.   3rd Conjugation:
       Imperfect and Future Active Indicative
   Numerals
   Expressions of Cause

12. 3rd Declension Adjectives
Expressions of Time

13.   4th Conjugation:
       Present Active Indicative and Infinitive
       Present Active Imperative
   The Pronoun: Part 3
       Interrogative pronouns
       Reflexive pronouns
   Possessive Adjectives and Possession Using Eius
   Ablative of Specification (Respect)

14.   4th Conjugation:
       Imperfect and Future Active Indicative
   Accusative of Degree and Extent

15.    3rd and 4th Conjugations .
       Perfect Active Indicative
   Pluperfect and Future Perfect Active Indicative (All conjugations)
   Perfect Active Infinitives (All conjugations)

16.    4th Declension
    5th Declension
    Locative Case

READING CHAPTER 3

17.    Present, Imperfect, and Future Passive Indicative (All conjugations)
   Present Passive Infinitive
   Sentence Pattern: Passive
   Ablative of Agent

18.   Dependent Clauses (1) - Adverbial
       Time
       Cause
       Condition
       Place
   Dative with Adjectives

19.   The Pronoun: Part 4
       Relative Pronouns
   Dependent Clauses (2)
       Adjectival
       Noun

20.   Perfect, Pluperfect, and Future Perfect Passive Indicative (All conjugations)
   Perfect Passive Infinitive (All conjugations)
   Paradigm of Vis, vis, f.

READING CHAPTER 4

21.    Irregular verbs: Volō, nōlō, mālō
   Negative Commands with Nōlō
   Infinitive Noun Clauses (1): Objective Infinitive

22.    Review of Infinitive Forms
       Future Infinitives (Active and Passive)
   Infinitive Noun Clauses (2): Indirect Statment
       Tenses of the Infinitive in Indirect Statement

23.    Intensive pronouns: ipse, īdem, quīdam
   Deponent Verbs; Semi-Deponent Verbs
   Special Intransitive Sentence Pattern:
       Verbs used with an Ablative

24.    Participles
       Participle Uses
      Ablative Absolute

25.    Irregular verbs
    Eō
    Ferō

READING CHAPTER 5

26. Comparison of Adjectives
Comparison of Adverbs

27.    Present and Perfect Active Subjunctive
   Subjunctive of Sum
   Independent Uses of the Subjunctive
       Exhortation / Command
       Wish
       Deliberative

28.    Imperfect and Pluperfect Active Subjunctive
   Use of Tenses in the Subjunctive
   Dependent Uses of the Subjunctive (1 - Adverbial Clauses)
       Purpose
       Result
       Circumstance, Cause, Concession

29.    Passive Subjunctive (all tenses)
   Dependent Uses of the Subjunctive (2 - Noun Clauses)
       Indirect Question
       Indirect Command
       Noun Result
           Fiō

30.   Subjunctive of Possum
   Dependent Uses of the Subjunctive (3)
       Clauses of Fearing
       Conditions

READING CHAPTER 6

31. The Gerund
The Gerundive

32.   Points for Future Study
       ut + Indicative
       Impersonal Constructions
       Additional Uses of the Subjunctive
             Potential
             Clauses of Characteristic
             Subordinate Clauses in Indirect Speech

Reference Morphology

English-Latin Vocabulary

Latin-English Vocabulary

Ancillaries

Online drills [like flashcards], online "guided" exercises [more sophisticated than drills], and crossword puzzles. Also, Latin Resource Guides for instructors. Go to the Focus Student Page
Available to be used in conjunction with Introduction to Latin:
Latin Flash Drills and Latin Vocabulary Drills available through Centaur Systems
Note: Focus Publishing did not create these products and does not sell or distribute them. They must be purchased directly from Centaur Systems.

From the Preface

The aims of this book are:

To provide a streamlined text that can be completed in one year, even for courses which meet only three days a week.
To provide brief explanations of English grammar as needed within the text itself so students will have an easy reference point for the Latin material.
To provide “real Latin” readings early and often, both in the form of sentences and short passages. In all but one or two cases the Readings in each chapter are unconnected to those in the previous chapter, so they can be easily used or skipped as each instructor wishes.
To offer a variety of different kinds of exercises, especially in the early chapters.
To get out of the way of the instructor. Rather than trying to explain every nuance of the grammar in detail, this text tries to offer concise explanations and allow the instructor to expand those explanations as he or she wishes.
Not to overwhelm the student. Some texts provide so much explanation (study hints, cultural sidebars, etc.) that students have trouble distinguishing between the “need to know” and the “nice to know” material. This text tries to focus on the “need to know” material.

Review

"This is just the book I’ve been hoping for: it is intelligently planned and organized, and maintains a good pace without being overwhelming. The exercises are very good and make reasonable sense (as much as can be hoped for in beginning Latin!) Presentation of grammar and syntax is very sound from a linguistic point of view, as well as being very comprehensible to the non-specialist. The exercises are ample, well-designed, and sensible, providing some opportunity for discussion of cultural context. Of particular note are the reading chapters located after every five regular chapters, which are very useful for review and provide valuable supplementary material (but can also be omitted if time limitations so demand.)"

-- Barbara Weiden Boyd, Bowdoin College

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