Henle Latin

[Melime]

I'm trying to decide if it's worth buying this - can anyone give me some helpful advice?

I have worked through Wheelock's Latin, with a class. However, we went through it in a year, so I didn't really absorb all of it.

My current plan for Latin learning is to work through Lingua Latina, as I've heard a lot of good things about how it increases reading ability drastically (the only way I can read Latin at the moment is by taking a sentence to pieces, bit by bit). I have Wheelocks, and some other introductory Latin books I could use for reference.

However, I'm now wondering if I should work through a grammar course at the same time as Lingua Latina.

I have some questions about Henle also:

- I know it's Catholic, but what exactly does this mean? I'm not religious, but I don't have a problem with using Christian materials, but could this be a little overwhelming?

- does it teach Classical Latin or Medieval?

- I also read somewhere that it's 'patriotic' - what exactly does this mean? Would it bother me as a non-American?

Thanks :)

[geekchic9]

I own Henle Latin and really like it so far. However, I'm a Catholic, so I'm biased....

Henle Latin First Year was written at a time where the Catholic Church used Latin instead of the vernacular in its services. So, in the first few pages, there's a page that loudly proclaims, "LATIN STILL LIVES!" and a reading about how it's used in the Catholic Church. Latin is still used in the Catholic Church, but not as often as it used to be. In fact, at the Easter morning Mass this year at the Vatican, there was a point to read the Bible using the native language of practically every country in which the Roman Catholic Church has a church (which made an interesting, albeit very long, reading.)

I haven't gotten very far in the book yet, but I've been flipping through the entire book to find out what you're talking about. On page 408 there is an exercise about D-Day, a very important battle in American history. On page 410 there is an ethnic slur against Asians. On page 398 there is a condemnation of slavery and a passage to translate about a saint. By the way, African-Americans are referred to as Negroes. On page 295 you are supposed to translate the words, "Hail, Mary!" These are just examples of the Catholicism, patriotism, and political incorrectness that the book espouses.

If I were majoring in history, or possibly English literature or Latin, I would read and analyze the book about how different the world was when this book was written, and how short a time ago it was -- 1945. It's really interesting in that sense. But if you're the easily offended type, then Henle Latin really isn't for you.

I honestly didn't know about some of the patriotism and political incorrectness in the book. I just bought it because I heard it was Catholic, traditional, and good. Thanks for pointing it out to me. I think I'll still use it, because it's good for what I bought it for: learning Latin grammar.

[JasonAlexander]

Hi Melime,

My opinion is that Henle is an exellent way to go in order to study Latin. here are the reasons.

Europe is one of the greatest influential forces in the world historically, it's from that culture that many countries in the world spawned from. But, look back what was on of the greatest influence on Medieval European culture? of course the Roman Catholic Church.

Melime, by studying latin using Helne you will be using a point of view that is shielded from mainstream schools, and get to the basics of how culture really formed according to the Catholic Church.

myself, i am currently working in prima latin and then going straight to LC2. then on to Helne. I consider myself more of a nondenomenational Christian but, i feel that it is important to look thru the eyes of some of the main influental forces in history in order to understand why culture is where it is today.

you've looked thru the filter of mainstream education using Wheelock's now look thru another filter and broaden your mind, test all things and hold on tightly to that which is good and true!

i guess i'm just trying to say that all curriculums are biased, so, it is good to get a broad experience in all points of view. Hope this makes sense to you.

blessings,
Jay

[Maria]

Melime,

However, I'm now wondering if I should work through a grammar course at the same time as Lingua Latina.
I know of some people who do that. However, they all say it's challenging because Henle and Oerberg don't cover the same topics at the same time; the sequence is radically different in some places.

I know it's Catholic, but what exactly does this mean? I'm not religious, but I don't have a problem with using Christian materials, but could this be a little overwhelming?
I don't think so. There are a LOT more translations about Caesar and the Gallic Wars than anything else in those books...to the point that it might be a relief to translate something different!

does it teach Classical Latin or Medieval?
It teaches classical Latin.

I also read somewhere that it's 'patriotic' - what exactly does this mean? Would it bother me as a non-American?
Most of the patriotic stuff is about World War II. Since your country wasn't allied with the Axis, you probably won't find it too offending.

Maria

[barbara914]

I'm planning on using Henle Latin when I master Latina Christiana II. Then, if, necessary, I'll go on to Wheelock. I purchased Wheelock and all the supporting materials, but it covered too much material in each lesson for me. I started dreading it, so it was a signal to try a different approach.

I'm Episcopalian, not Catholic. I don't anticipate getting too angry over the cultural bias of 50 years ago.

[Melime]

Thank you all for your replies!

I think I will go with Henle (as long as I have the money!). The thing that really draws me to it is the small amount of vocabulary. This was the biggest problem I had with Wheelock - I could understand the grammar, but because I couldn't memorise the vocabulary (and we went through two chapters a week, so there was a lot of it!), I really struggled in the exercises and reading the passages.

Jason, I thought you made a very good point about how it's good to see the world through viewpoints other than your own.

Barbara, when using Wheelock, did you get hold of Dale Grote's guide? An earlier version is available for free at http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Wheelock-Latin/. I found this to be a great asset when using Wheelock's. However, I completely agree with you that Wheelock is not the book to use for self-study.

I also loved your comment about not getting agree with the cultural bias of the past. I agree completely. Recently I read somewhere that parents should not read their children the Little House books, because of the attitude in them towards Native Americans. You can't judge everything by today's attitudes.

They all say it's challenging because Henle and Oerberg don't cover the same topics at the same time; the sequence is radically different in some places

This is a good point, and one that I hadn't thought of. Hopefully, I'll be able to get by as I have covered all the material before, though at speed.

I guess that would be a good question to close with - what exactly does Henle cover? I don't believe I've ever seen it mentioned anywhere. Does it cover all the conjugations and declensions? What about other material?

Thank you all very much!
Melime

[Maria]

Melime,

I guess that would be a good question to close with - what exactly does Henle cover? I don't believe I've ever seen it mentioned anywhere. Does it cover all the conjugations and declensions? What about other material?

If you're talking about the whole set (i.e., the grammar book and all four textbooks), it covers just about everything, plus a good portion of Caesar's, Cicero's, and Virgil's writings, respectively. However, I assume you're talking about the first of the textbooks, First Year Latin. First Year Latin covers all five declensions of nouns; first and second declension adjectives, and one type of third declension adjectives; the indicative and subjunctive of all four regular conjugations, -io verbs, deponents, and some irregular verbs; personal, demonstrative, and interrogative pronouns; relative clauses, purpose clauses, direct and indirect questions, accusatives with the infinitive; some participles and infinitives; and ablatives of agent, means, accompaniment, separation, and comparison. This list isn't exhaustive, but it should give you an idea.

NOTE: When and if you buy First Year Latin, be sure to get Henle's Latin Grammar along with it. You won't be able to use First Year Latin without it.

Maria

[Melime]

Thought I'd give you all an update: I have bought Henle a week or two ago, and am now waiting with bated breath for it to arrive.

The Grammar book arrived today, but it's not doing me any good without the First Year Latin.

Patience can be so hard sometimes... I can't wait to start!