Grammar Question

[Kit Rivers]

Help!

A bit of history. I was born in the UK in 1962. I lived in a trendy school area. Our school used ITA (initial Teaching Alphabet) which was distressing mystery to me as I could already read when I went to school. (My parents owned an Antiquarian and Secondhand bookshop, and we had no TV until I was 15) I thought I could not do 'real' reading and then just as I was getting to grips with ITA we went back to the normal stuff....aggghhhh.

Added to this we were not taught times tables, grammar or anything that would stunt our little imaginations. For 2 years we didn't even have lessons...our work was put on the board for the week and when we had done it we could play. it was all project work (making little books) I did "the big pony book" the little pony book" "The book of native British ponies" etc. It was just basically recycled stuff each time! We loved it!

The only thing that saved me was the shop. Nobody ever thought to restrict, or comment on our reading and we lived above the shop, surrounded by books. Yes, I read some unsuitable stuff, but I read all the time, we even read during meals. I learnt as an adult that was not socially acceptable!! I read what was in the shop, so read Austen, Trollope and Dickens along with sixpenny romances and westerns!

Anyway I now am trying to learn Latin and have ground to a halt as I don't know English grammar beyond the parts of speech and the subject of a sentence (and I worked that out from Latin) I need recommendations for a good grammar book that will teach me the sort of grammar I will need as I try to educate myself, and teach the basics at an adult pace.

Sorry this has turned out to be a long post. I often wonder about other ITA survivors out there...how did they fare? And other people who lived through trendy 60's and 70's school reforms. Where are they now?

Kit

[jeremiah213]

One of the major benefits of learning Latin is developing a solid knowledge of English grammar. Latin and English have the same grammatical categories, and so as you learn the former you also learn the latter. I think your solution is already in your hands... Take your time going through the Latin grammar, understanding the parts of speech, how they interact with each other, and memorize the grammar forms... memorize them cold, be able to recite them all easily from memory. As you do this you'l naturally make connections to English, and even use English as a way to understanding the Latin forms. I would say don't get an English grammar, continue with the Latin...but continue in mastery.

[Kit Rivers]

Thank you for the advice Glen. I'm on lesson 3 of First Form. I'll keep chugging along. Are there any other adult people out there just starting out on Latin?

[mythopoeic]

Hi Kit,

I agree with Glen about the grammar benefits of Latin. I learned Latin in my mid-twenties and occasionally joke that the real effect of it was to turn me into a grammarian. There is a book called "English Grammar for Students of Latin" which I've heard is an excellent resource for explaining certain grammatical concepts, but I would use it as a supplement to your latin textbook. Concepts like the subjunctive mood aren't readily apparent to someone who's not studied grammar before and it may help to have a second reference if your primary book isn't clear enough to you on certain points.

As you progress, you may want to pick up a more complete latin grammar like Gildersleeve's or Woodcock. You're pretty early in your grammar study, so I wouldn't worry about that right now. Keep at the work. It will yield great rewards as you progress in the grammar study.

Will

[Yabusame]

Hi Kit,

I'm a survivor of the 70s/80s. My education was attrocious. Anyway, just wanted to say that I'm just starting my self-education and you are far ahead of me on the Latin front.

[lisagoldner]

Hi Kit,
I can help you, just pm me