Learn and teach Latin here

Not all so brainy! Failed A level Latin twice. B...y Cicero.

Took me three tries to pass my O level maths. And rivers of tears.

I gave up the subjects I thought I might fail in - eg Geography!

I was so lucky! I failed Maths dismally, and started Biology after mocks, which back in the old days was quite enough, if you had Classics to back you up, for university entrance.

I do wish I had worked harder at Maths, though. Theseus and his friends used to do my Maths homework for me, and I'd help with their literature essays. Why did no-one, in the so-called golden days of education, ever notice my perfect homeworks and c* class work and exams?

Was it Dan Quayle who said he had enjoyed his tour of Latin America and his only regret was that he had never learned Latin so he could converse with the people he met. And he was one heart attack away from having his finger on the red button.

I rather like a translation which appears on one of the many adverts featuring cats and dogs (why are there so many?)

Carpe diem - Grab the frisbee

I failed O level Maths and was just so pleased that I would never have to do it again
When I was learning Italian a few years ago we were all finding the grammar very difficult . All our teachers were Italian and they all just knew so much more grammar than we did.

What memories, eh. I scraped through O level maths, because I had a brother who was good at maths and helped me study. To my shame, i helped him with his Latin, but he still failed that subject.

I like watching Time Team, and it is interesting when they read Latin texts (we are still getting 2009 to 2012 repeats here: RIP Mick)

Remember that rhyme we used to write on our Latin books:

Latin is a language
Dead as dead can be
It killed the Ancient Romans
And now it's killing me!

It was not even on the curriculum of my 1959 comprehensive school. I have to say I have survived without it. I have picked up basic words and phrases since I joined a choral society but words from Latin masses don't get you very far in common conversation.
I managed to learn French fairly well without it.

I struggled with it and failed O level dismally. We had a useless Latin teacher who was one of only two male teachers at my all girls high school. The other male teacher (music) was a pervert but the Latin teacher was a gentle, scholarly man who loved his subject and we made his life hell. Poor man.

What little I absorbed has come in very useful in my attempts to learn Italian. But how I wish I had tried harder! (And not been so unkind)

I imagine that if any of us had been taught Classics by that very moreish Dr Michael Scott ("Who Were The Greeks") we'd all have been avid classical scholars!

In recent clearout I found my school Latin dictionary -from 1940s.
I loved Latin - got top marks in O level.We had an inspiring Latin master.
The sentence construction seemed so logical.and pronunciation easy..
So many words have Latin roots.

And I like singing in Latin.!

Oh,yes, I am enjoying the programmes so much - and the one about Rome.
I had one Latin teacher for the whole of my five years at grammar school - the unfortunately named Miss Rosbottom. She was a gentle spinster,probably in her 40's but of course when you are 15 anybody over 30 is old. She loved her subject, and composed little poems to help us learn. My school was small, only two form entry, and only the 'sheep' took Latin - presumably it was considered too hard for the 'goats'. We were not offered Greek, just Latin and French.
My youngest grandson is learning Japanese - it is a popular subject in NZ.

Funnily enough (as somebody might say) DH is not all that impressed with the programmes, I don't think he appreciates its finer points That's fine by me - just leave me alone with the lovely Dr Scott!!

I reckon most subjects depend a great deal on the teacher, and I had an inspired Latin teacher, which probably has a lot to do with how I liked it and did well in it. He kept discipline really well, in a class of 20 boys and 12 girls.

Mind you, one or two things did happen. My very posh and ultra-respectable friend Andrea, a Methodist minister 's daughter, used to fiddle around with a broken cupboard knob next to her desk, when she was concentrating on something. One day, she discovered to her surprise it had been fixed. Without thinking, she exclaimed loudly "Oh, you've had your knob mended, Sir!"

The silence was deafening for many seconds, until we all just gave in and descended into loud laughter. The teacher just put his head in his hands and sighed. We all knew it was an innocent mistake - but it was around 1958 or 1959 - we were relatively innocent back then

Greatnan our Head Prefect was Harry Rosbottom -quite a common name in our part of Lancs.
My GD's school (in Cheshire) has Mandarin on the language curriculum -there's another Latin word!

Our new (well, recycled) PM speaks fluent Mandarin - that gets him well in with the Chinese. My DiL is ethnically Cantonese, and speaks the language, but she is losing it now that she's no longer living with her parents. I keep telling her to see her Mum and Dad as often as possible and keep up the language, but I don't think she listens. She's a scientist, and doesn't give language matters a thought.

Greatnan thanks for the list! [thumbs up emoticon]

I did A level Latin and New Testament Greek but can't remember much of either as I didn't use them much.

My favourite saying is Nosce Te Ipsum "Know Thyself" and we could say of Andy Murray that he is Nulli Secundus "Second to None"

A nice little book we read at school was called "Winnie Ille Pooh" Don't know if it is still available. Might be nice for the grandchildren.

There was also Peter Rabbit in Latin - Fabula de Petro Cuniculo. I may have had it on my bookshelf once but it seems to have disappeared.

Gracesmum I love that one! Keep it up everyone - I missed the Latin stream but would have loved to learn it.

Amo amas amat amamus amatis amant.
As remembered from my Shortbread Eating Primer.

Blowed if I can remember any more! Can't believe I could translate Vergil when I was 16. Where's it all gone?

I used to learn those Latin verb conjugations and noun declensions while cycling. I'd have them written on cards, take one out at the traffic lights, memorise it quickly, then chant it to myself as I pedaled. I love languages, but always found rote learning really hard, so that was the only way to brainwash them into my mind. Oh, and putting charts up on the inside of the toilet door, so I could learn them while sitting there. Constipation was a great help before an exam.

Our Latin teacher went through Vergil over and over again till we knew it backwards. Apparently in the O level, translating Vergil got something like 4o% of the marks. I remember turning over the exam paper to see which bit they had given us and that was it! I think we all passed that year.
She was German and if you haven't heard Latin spoken with a strong German accent, you haven't lived!
I wish I could remember it now, but sadly not.