Course Information

NOTE: All information in this section can also be found in Google Doc format.

Course Details (Spring 2024)

Meeting time and place: MR 11-11:50am, W 10-10:50am - Canisius 10 (ground floor)
Instructor: Prof. Daniel Libatique (he/him/his)
Office: Donnarumma 124
Student Hours: Wednesdays 11am-12:45pm (drop in)
E-mail: dlibatique [at] fairfield [dot] edu
Website: Click here.
Zoom room link: See email or the Google Doc syllabus.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the Latin language, the mode of communication that defines the literature and culture of ancient Rome. No previous knowledge of Latin is required. This course will start from the very basics of the Latin language (i.e., parts of speech, inflection, pronunciation) and eventually build towards a strong command of Latin vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. The goal of introductory Latin is to build a solid foundation for reading actual ancient Roman texts. As such, the acquisition of those linguistic skills, elucidated and practiced through classroom instruction and examples in our textbook, will also be reinforced by the reading of select prose and poetry passages in Latin.

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, an introduction to the ancient Latin language, my goal is that as far as disciplinary content is concerned, you as students will be able to:

develop your knowledge base of Latin (and English) morphology and syntax
develop confidence in engaging with complex sentence structures and narratives
practice close reading and identifying linguistic patterns
analyze and engage with unedited Latin
learn about and appreciate aspects of ancient Roman culture

At a global level, this course is designed to improve your abilities in the following IDEA Learning Objectives:

gaining a basic understanding of the subject (e.g., factual knowledge, methods, principles, generalizations, theories) (IDEA #1)
developing knowledge and understanding of diverse perspectives, global awareness, or other cultures (IDEA #2)
learning to apply course material (to improve thinking, problem solving, and decisions) (IDEA #3)
learning how to find, evaluate, and use resources to explore a topic in depth (IDEA #9)

As outcomes of your learning, you will:

produce idiomatic English translations of both edited and authentic Latin
compose short narratives in grammatically-sound Latin based on real ancient myths
complete daily homework assignments to practice concepts and increase familiarity with vocabulary, paradigms, and sentence structures
achieve high grades on daily check-ins, weekly quizzes, and tri-semesterly exams by demonstrating your understanding of Latin morphology and syntax and applying grammatical rules
generate 1-2pp. written responses to articles, videos, events, and physical media like ancient coins that explore Latin grammar and Roman culture in outside-of-the-box ways