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Learning Latin or Ancient Greek online/apps etc

18 replies

aibutohavethisusername · 26/03/2020 12:30

DD has not firmed her courses and is looking at doing some pre-learning.

If she goes to UCL she will need to do a MFL for 15 credits and would be looking to do an ancient language too.

If she goes to Exeter she would need to take a few modules in an ancient language as a beginner.

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aibutohavethisusername · 26/03/2020 12:31

My point of the post was best places to look and learn?

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Snugglepumpkin · 26/03/2020 12:45

Personally as a complete beginner I would have a look at

www.linneyslatinclass.com/

There are a couple of inexpensive or free books to buy which are listed on the page as this is meant to be a follow on from his
Getting Started with Latin (it's available on Amazon)

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Snugglepumpkin · 26/03/2020 12:47

www.gettingstartedwithlatin.com/

Probably better to begin with the first book.
There are free audio recordings to accompany the book.

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Moominmammacat · 26/03/2020 12:49

One of my started Mandarin ab initio at Exeter ... disaster, didn't last long. There used to be an excellent Cambridge Latin course online ... my DS had excellent teaching through that. And here it is ... www.dl.cambridgescp.com/tutored-courses

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BubblesBuddy · 26/03/2020 17:50

I thought she had firmed UCL? This is the decision that keeps giving! If she has not done a MFL at all, the Exeter option is not that easy because she needs it for the Ancient History course. She doesn’t need the MFL for History at UCL so why doesn’t she do the MFL she did do at school for a few years? Surely this makes sense if she has firmed UCL?

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bpisok · 26/03/2020 18:07

Bubbles you don't need prior knowledge of Latin or Greek for ancient history but you often do for classics
Where latin is a compulsory module in ancient history there's always a beginners session and you translate Latin to English not the other way round (which is far easier)

UCL are odd because if you don't have a MFL they make you do one for at least term. DD spoke to them and they said that you don't have to pass just to turn up and it doesn't count towards your degree. British sign language counts as a MFL.

In terms of learning Latin I would plough through the GCSE course book and I also think Duolingo does Latin now....worth checking.

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aibutohavethisusername · 26/03/2020 23:01

Sorry bubbles typo in my original post. It should say ‘now firmed’ not ‘not firmed’. She has firmed.

Yeah UCL need you to do a MFL if you didn’t do GCSE language. Can be as part of the credits for degree or as an extra.

DD did French in Y7&8 and wasn’t overly keen on it.

Snugglepumpkin, Moominmammacat & bpisok. I’ll pass these on to her.

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BubblesBuddy · 26/03/2020 23:40

boisok: you do need to study an ancient language for ancient history at Exeter. It’s part of the course.

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BubblesBuddy · 27/03/2020 08:53

I think you need to have a chat about taking language learning a bit more seriously now. If she didn’t like French, Latin and Greek especially won’t be a walk in the park. French is a Latin language. I would check the exact courses she must take (especially at UCL) and see if there are “getting started” recommendations. French, to me, seems the obvious route with Latin second.

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aibutohavethisusername · 27/03/2020 12:38

We have had a chat previously. She is keen to do languages and has self studied German & Korean for a while.
I have a degree in French so I am hoping she’ll find a l or for it.

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BubblesBuddy · 27/03/2020 16:51

Go with French then? You will be able to help. That’s such an advantage. My DD has a degree in French and Italian. DH and me hardly speak a word of French, let alone Italian!

I do think she needs to knuckle down to it though. She obviously gave up before so perhaps didn’t make the effort required? This would be the conversation I would have. MFLs don’t come easy to some but you can really help.

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TheCheeseAlarm · 27/03/2020 16:57
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AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 27/03/2020 17:03

bubbles I think Latin is really easy, I found it much easier than French (I did languages for A level - German, French, Latin). I think because you can see how words in English are formed that it makes more sense. Would Ecce Romani be too basic as a starting set? You might be able to pick the books up second hand.

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BubblesBuddy · 27/03/2020 22:26

But if you have already done French for 2 years and your mum has a French degree, would you not take French as a first option? Latin as well maybe?

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BubblesBuddy · 27/03/2020 22:31

By the way, Latin and Greek are not acceptable at UCL. It has to be a MFL. They should run a summer school in MFL if that’s any use. Their web site says how the language can be studied whilst at the university.

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aibutohavethisusername · 28/03/2020 20:19

Yeah UCL has to be a MFL. DD is interested in ancient languages too now.

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BubblesBuddy · 29/03/2020 15:47

Go with Latin then.

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BubblesBuddy · 29/03/2020 15:47

As well as French.

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