About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherOxford University Press, Incorporated

ISBN-100199214050

ISBN-139780199214051

eBay Product ID (ePID)57010275

Product Key Features

Number of Pages320 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication NameNatural History of Latin

SubjectLatin, Linguistics / General

Publication Year2007

TypeLanguage Course

AuthorMerethe Damsgaard Sørensen, Tore Janson, Nigel Vincent

Subject AreaForeign Language Study, Language Arts & Disciplines

FormatPerfect

Dimensions

Item Height0.8 in

Item Weight13.8 Oz

Item Length8.3 in

Item Width5.5 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

ReviewsReview from previous edition Natural History of Latin is an authoritative introduction to arguably the most influential language of all time. Chicago Tribune, "...valuable is the enthusiasm [Janson] directs to the history of Latin words and the variety of their uses (with attention even to such divagations as the "Latin" spells in the Harry Potter books). The translators do a fine job of Anglicizing both the language and the cultural assumptions...Recommended"--CHOICE"An authoritative introduction to arguably the most influential language of all time."--Chicago Tribune"Janson...comes not to praise the Romans but instead the lingua Latina, whose evolution he traces from its origin some 2,700 years ago as a local language to its apotheosis as the official language of the Roman Empire--and later, when it was no longer anyone's native tongue, of the victorious Christian religion--to an exercise forced upon schoolchildren. He also offers an enthusiastic appreciation of Latin's role, for the better part of yet another millennium, as the language of enlightened Europeans from Chaucer and Abelard to Erasmus, Galileo, Newton, and Rene 'Cogito, ergo sum' Descartes. Nor does he fail to point out Latin's enduring place in medicine, botany, and zoology--or its more recent uses, from Oscar Wilde's 'De Profundis' to the first names of J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' characters, including Albus ('White') Dumbledore."--Boston Globe"In the hands of a teacher introducing students to Latin, the classics, or to general themes in Western history, this book could be very useful. ... May the Latin is Important movement, assisted by books like Janson's, prosper."--Books & Culture"It is hard to imagine how this book could be improved. ...from now on, if anyone who has never studied Latin asks me to recommend a short, readable book in which they can find out about the history of Latin and get a feel for the grammar, I will be able to answer unhesitatingly."--Linguist List 16.965, "...valuable is the enthusiasm [Janson] directs to the history of Latin words and the variety of their uses (with attention even to such divagations as the "Latin" spells in the Harry Potter books). The translators do a fine job of Anglicizing both the language and the cultural assumptions...Recommended"--CHOICE "An authoritative introduction to arguably the most influential language of all time."--Chicago Tribune "Janson...comes not to praise the Romans but instead thelingua Latina,whose evolution he traces from its origin some 2,700 years ago as a local language to its apotheosis as the official language of the Roman Empire--and later, when it was no longer anyone's native tongue, of the victorious Christian religion--to an exercise forced upon schoolchildren. He also offers an enthusiastic appreciation of Latin's role, for the better part of yet another millennium, as the language of enlightened Europeans from Chaucer and Abelard to Erasmus, Galileo, Newton, and Rene 'Cogito, ergo sum' Descartes. Nor does he fail to point out Latin's enduring place in medicine, botany, and zoology--or its more recent uses, from Oscar Wilde's 'De Profundis' to the first names of J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' characters, including Albus ('White') Dumbledore."--Boston Globe "In the hands of a teacher introducing students to Latin, the classics, or to general themes in Western history, this book could be very useful. ... May the Latin is Important movement, assisted by books like Janson's, prosper."--Books & Culture "It is hard to imagine how this book could be improved. ...from now on, if anyone who has never studied Latin asks me to recommend a short, readable book in which they can find out about the history of Latin and get a feel for the grammar, I will be able to answer unhesitatingly."--Linguist List16.965, It is hard to imagine how this book could be improved... From now on, if anyone who has never studied Latin askes me to recommend a short, readable book in which they can find out about the history of Latin and get a feel for the grammar, I will be able to answer unhesitatingly. LinguistList, "...valuable is the enthusiasm [Janson] directs to the history of Latin words and the variety of their uses (with attention even to such divagations as the "Latin" spells in the Harry Potter books). The translators do a fine job of Anglicizing both the language and the cultural assumptions...Recommended"--CHOICE "An authoritative introduction to arguably the most influential language of all time."--Chicago Tribune "Janson...comes not to praise the Romans but instead the lingua Latina, whose evolution he traces from its origin some 2,700 years ago as a local language to its apotheosis as the official language of the Roman Empire--and later, when it was no longer anyone's native tongue, of the victorious Christian religion--to an exercise forced upon schoolchildren. He also offers an enthusiastic appreciation of Latin's role, for the better part of yet another millennium, as the language of enlightened Europeans from Chaucer and Abelard to Erasmus, Galileo, Newton, and Rene 'Cogito, ergo sum' Descartes. Nor does he fail to point out Latin's enduring place in medicine, botany, and zoology--or its more recent uses, from Oscar Wilde's 'De Profundis' to the first names of J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' characters, including Albus ('White') Dumbledore."--Boston Globe "In the hands of a teacher introducing students to Latin, the classics, or to general themes in Western history, this book could be very useful. ... May the Latin is Important movement, assisted by books like Janson's, prosper."--Books & Culture "It is hard to imagine how this book could be improved. ...from now on, if anyone who has never studied Latin asks me to recommend a short, readable book in which they can find out about the history of Latin and get a feel for the grammar, I will be able to answer unhesitatingly."--Linguist List 16.965, Review from previous edition Natural History of Latin is an authoritativeintroduction to arguably the most influential language of all time. ChicagoTribune, It is hard to imagine how this book could be improved... From now on, ifanyone who has never studied Latin askes me to recommend a short, readable bookin which they can find out about the history of Latin and get a feel for thegrammar, I will be able to answer unhesitatingly. Linguist List, ..."valuable is the enthusiasm ÝJanson¨ directs to the history of Latin words and the variety of their uses (with attention even to such divagations as the "Latin" spells in the Harry Potter books). The translators do a fine job of Anglicizing both the language and the cultural assumptions...Recommended"--CHOICE "An authoritative introduction to arguably the most influential language of all time."--Chicago Tribune "Janson...comes not to praise the Romans but instead the lingua Latina, whose evolution he traces from its origin some 2,700 years ago as a local language to its apotheosis as the official language of the Roman Empire--and later, when it was no longer anyone's native tongue, of the victorious Christian religion--to an exercise forced upon schoolchildren. He also offers an enthusiastic appreciation of Latin's role, for the better part of yet another millennium, as the language of enlightened Europeans from Chaucer and Abelard to Erasmus, Galileo, Newton, and Rene 'Cogito, ergo sum' Descartes. Nor does he fail to point out Latin's enduring place in medicine, botany, and zoology--or its more recent uses, from Oscar Wilde's 'De Profundis' to the first names of J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' characters, including Albus ('White') Dumbledore."--Boston Globe "In the hands of a teacher introducing students to Latin, the classics, or to general themes in Western history, this book could be very useful. ... May the Latin is Important movement, assisted by books like Janson's, prosper."--Books & Culture "It is hard to imagine how this book could be improved. ...from now on, if anyone who has never studied Latin asks me to recommend a short, readable book in whichthey can find out about the history of Latin and get a feel for the grammar, I will be able to answer unhesitatingly."--Linguist List 16.965, Review from previous edition Natural History of Latin is an authoritative introduction to arguably the most influential language of all time. Chicago TribuneThis always readable book is full of interest. The ScotsmanIt is hard to imagine how this book could be improved... From now on, if anyone who has never studied Latin askes me to recommend a short, readable book in which they can find out about the history of Latin and get a feel for the grammar, I will be able to answer unhesitatingly. Linguist List

Dewey Edition22

TitleLeadingA

Dewey Decimal953.8

Table Of ContentPart I Latin and the Romans1: Lingua latina: a first acquaintance2: The earliest period of Rome3: How Latin became Latin4: From small town to great power5: How bad were the Romans?6: A voice from early Rome7: The meeting with Greece8: Theatre for the people9: The age of revolutions10: Writing, reading, listening, and speaking11: Speeches, politics, and lawsuits12: Cicero and rhetoric13: The language of history14: Imperium romanum: Augustus and the Roman Empire15: Name and family16: Years and months17: Latin becomes the language of Europe18: Poets and poetry19: Philosophy: Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca20: The Schools and Quintilian21: The sciences22: Everyday language23: Laws and legal language24: Tacitus, the emperors, and Britain25: Christianity: from dangerous sect to state religionPart II Latin and Europe26: Europe after Rome27: From Latin to the Romance languages28: Missionaries, Latin, and foreign languages29: Latin in Britain30: Latin in schools31: Speaking and spelling32: Books and scribes33: Saints and heretics34: The guardians of the heritage35: Poetry after antiquity36: Abelard and Heloise37: The thinkers38: The Renaissance39: Doctors and their language40: Linnaeus and Latin41: Physicists, chemists, and others42: Alchemy, witchcraft, and Harry Potter43: Loanwords and neologisms44: Latin and German45: Latin and French46: Latin and English47: Latin and usPart III About the Grammar48: Introduction49: Pronunciation and stress50: Sentences, verbs and nouns51: Words and word classes52: Nouns53: Adjectives54: Pronouns55: THe forms of the verb56: Amandi and amanda57: How words are formedGlossary of words and expressionsPart IV Basic VocabularyPart V Common Phrases and ExpressionsSuggested readingIndex

SynopsisNo known language, including English, has achieved the success and longevity of Latin. French, Spanish, Italian, and Romanian are among its direct descendants, and countless Latin words and phrases comprise the cornerstone of English itself. A Natural History or Latin tells its history from its origins over 2500 years ago to the present. Brilliantly conceived, popularizing but authoritative, and written with the fluency and light touch that have made Tore Janson's Speak so attractive to tens of thousands of readers, it is a masterpiece of adroit synthesis. The book commences with a description of the origins, emergence, and dominance of Latin over the Classical period. Then follows an account of its survival through the Middle Ages into modern times, with emphasis on its evolution throughout the history, culture, and religious practices of Medieval Europe. By judicious quotation of Latin words, phrases, and texts the author illustrates how the written and spoken language changed, region by region over time; how it met resistance from native languages; and how therefore some entire languages disappeared. Janson offers a vivid demonstration of the value of Latin as a means of access to a vibrant past and a persuasive argument for its continued worth. A concise and easy-to-understand introduction to Latin grammar and a list of the most frequent Latin words, including 500 idioms and phrases still in common use, complement the work., Beginning in Rome around 600 BC, Latin became the language of the civilized world and remained so for more than two millennia. French, Spanish, Italian, and Romanian are among its progeny and it provides the international vocabulary of law and life science. No known language, including English - itself enriched by Latin words and phrases - has achieved such success and longevity. Tore Janson tells its history from origins to present. Brilliantly conceived and written with the same light touch as his bestselling history of languages, A Natural History of Latin is a masterpiece of adroit synthesis.The author charts the expansion of Latin in the classical world, its renewed importance in the Middle Ages, and its survival into modern times. He shows how spoken and written Latin evolved in different places and its central role in European history and culture. He ends with a concise Latin grammar and lists of Latin words and phrases still in common use.Considered elitist and irrelevant in the second half of the twentieth century and often even banned from schools, Latin is now enjoying a huge revival of interest across Europe, the UK, and the USA. Tore Janson offers persuasive arguments for its value and gives direct access to its fascinating worlds, past and present., Tore Janson tells the history of Latin from origins to present. He offers persuasive arguments for its value and gives direct access to its fascinating worlds, past and present. He describes how Latin spread through the classical world, its renewed importance in the Middle Ages, and its survival into modern times. He shows how spoken and written Latin evolved in different places and its central role in European history and culture. Brilliantly conceived and written with the same light touch as the author's bestselling history of languages, this book is a masterpiece of adroit synthesis.

LC Classification NumberPA2057