Interesting audio resources for learning Latin

[Publius Iunius Brutus]

Sal.

Not free, but looks pretty good on first impression.

Thoughts from our Latinists?

https://www.patreon.com/latinum

[Publius Sextius Laevus]

Salvete Discipuli, Discipulae

There is also 'Latin 101' by Great Courses on DVD, which often goes on sale:
I have this one and can recomend it personally.

There are also many free YouTube videos covering the basic Latin grammar to get you started.

And let's not forget our own Magistra Lucia Horatia Adamas who offers tutoring and a course using Wheelock .

Valete
P. Sextius Laevus

[Gaius Florius Lupus]

[Lucia Horatia Adamas]

L. Horatia Adamas P. Junio Bruto C. Florio Lupo P. Sextio Lævo omnibusque S.P.D.

Given that those who contacted me about taking my course have balked at my two-digit tuition for the introductory course, I doubt any of them would be willing to pay the fantastic sums some of these fellows charge. One online teacher wanted $400 per person per semester years ago--for Level I, and another group wants $300. I can recommend a free course which will teach the diligent to speak real Latin, but the text is at least $125 and the requirements rigorous, with no latitude for late assignments and such. I taught this course for ten or twelve years, and could offer a little grace period, but the current teachers want none of that.

For those interested, I just began the intermediate Wheelock course Monday, and can run the introductory one if anyone is interested and has the text--which is not expensive, and an earlier edition is available free online. I have received a lot of compliments for my teaching of both courses (Wheelock and Assimil), but it seems no one here is interested.

BTW, I have sound files with my course, and the Assimil course mentioned above has many sound files prepared by a prominent European Latinist known for his fluency--and beautiful pronunciation. I'm not good with URLs, but may try to dredge some sound files up and post them.

Also BTW: the order of some of the lessons in the Latin 101 Mueller one is very odd; he starts with some of the most difficult points of Latin morphology, the third declension and the third conjugation, and hits the subjunctive not long after. Better to start with the easy stuff; it terrifies enough prospective students. Some of the illustrations in the Patreon ones are quite strange, and probably not accurate; the gladiators look like Ibero-americans, not Romans. I also wonder about a Latin teacher who writes 'et tu quoque,' which is rather redundant.

Gratias, Læve, pro præconio.

Valete!

[Gaius Florius Lupus]

The one in YouTube is free, and it has 99 lessons. This should be more than enough to get the basics and then to decide whether or not to continue on Patreon. It is the same author as in the link of Brurus.

[Publius Sextius Laevus]

Salvete Discipuli, Discipulae

One thing that I feel would help me is a local group of people that would actually come together to speak Latin. Searching for a like minded group is always like when I went to the Latin Fest in oppidum meum this past weekend, but no one could speak Latin! (btw they would also not speak English )

Valete
Laevus

[Lucia Horatia Adamas]

P. Sextio Lævo omnibusque S.P.D. L. Horatia Adamas

There is a listing of Latin Circuli, that is, groups which meet, most often during a meal, in order to chat in Latin. There are several of these worldwide and in the U.S., mostly in large cities. One of my former students started one in NYC, although he is actually teaching via Ørberg rather than actually conversing with the members in Latin. Another participates in one in San Diego, and yet another in the Netherlands, and there are several others. Central and South America seem bereft of these groups, but there is one in Hong Kong and several in Europe as well as at least a few in the U.S. Will try to attach, or copy-paste, the list, though it may be out of date.

I must point out that comparatively few Latinists participate in Roman-themed groups, and have never heard of such entities, so one must look outside the realms of Romanophiles and such if you wish to speak Latin. During the ALF convention, I could not even get the participants to use my Roman name; only one had heard of a very prominent European Latinist, Avitus, and none to whom I mentioned any Roman group had ever heard of any such entities. The same probably holds good for the annual summer conventicula, which are weeklong Latin immersions held in various places, including Germany, Virginia / West Virginia, and Lexington, KY. Hope these show up.



Valete!

[Tiberius Publicius Gracchus]

I have been having luck with this textbook:
https://www.amazon.com/Lingua-Latina-Il ... 1585104205

The book is entirely in Latin but the first few chapters are very easy. I might be interested in a course but I want to see if I have the stamina to practice every day before I invest any money into a course. One problem which has been pointed out to me is that you can learn Latin, but if you do not use the language you will not retain it. And I don't know who would speak it besides an old priest.

[Lucia Horatia Adamas]

L. Horatia Adamas Ti. Publicio Graccho omnibusque S.P.D.

The text you indicate is very well known, and frequently used by Latin speakers--but lacks vocabulary for modern things, such as cell phones and computers. It's quite good, and the first few chapters are indeed quite easy. The Wheelock text is also good for a more traditional form of Latin, and has some practice materials (with the answers) at the end of the book.

If you would prefer a text with somewhat more modern vocabulary, there is Le Latin Sans Peine, by Clément Desessard, which is also available in Italian-Latin and German-Latin. The French edition has been reissued with a new title, simply 'Le Latin,' but one must be careful not to get a book with the same title but a different author, I. Ducos-Filippi, who is unfamiliar with Latin grammar and makes several errors in that. If you cannot read any of these three languages, you may wish to take the Sermo Latinus course from the SLEU; translations into English and Spanish are provided there, but only for registered students. The courses are very demanding, but free--and the mandatory text and required CDs / tapes are quite costly. The teachers aren't quite so good as the original ones, either.

As for practicing Latin, if you inspect the attachments for my previous post on this topic, you will see that there are numerous Latin Circles, groups which meet to practice Latin conversation, there are Latin immersions in several locations every summer, there is an all-Latin independent mailing list, the Grex, and NR has a similar one which is not restricted to NR citizens. In late July, I attended the annual convention of the Academia Latinitati Fovendae, which requires all lectures to be in Latin, and all conversation among participants is also in Latin--the only language several of us had in common. There are other similar conventions.

There are other options, too, for courses; Pater Reginald Foster offers courses both in summer and year-round (free, but one must obtain lodging and food, as well as transportation to Milwaukee), and the Vivarium Novum provides instruction in both Latin and Greek in or near Rome. The tuition there is quite high, but scholarships are available for males from 16-26 (I believe) during the regular academic year. Women are admitted to the summer session, but I don't think there are any scholarships for that term. There also is a group called 'Paideia' which has some sort of course ($200-300), and all manner of online study groups for Wheelock and perhaps some other texts. I teach a course based on Wheelock, for which I charge a more modest tuition. Value does not depend on cost.

In any case, you will find more people than you suspect who know Latin, and need not resort to conversation with an elderly priest (except perhaps Pater Foster). One of my students is a retired judge; another is an orchestra conductor, and there are Latin speakers from all walks of life. Too, there are many YouTube videos of major Latinists, such as Terentius Tunberg, Milena Minkova, and A. Gratius Avitus speaking in Latin; some of these have the text included below so the viewer can see what is being spoken.

Where are you located? There might be a group near you.

Vale, et valete!

[Tiberius Publicius Gracchus]

I am pretty close to Chicago. I am not sure when I will be ready for Latin immersion, I am getting through the book very slowly.