WHY STUDY LATIN?
1. MENTAL DISCIPLINE
St. Thomas Aquinas defined wisdom as the ability to “order things rightly.” The study of Latin helps us do just that. Latin is so highly and rationally structured and precise that students of Latin develop precision in higher order thinking. This training helps students discover and make sense of the truth found in all content areas.2. MASTERY OF ENGLISH
In order to master English, one must master the universal structures and principles of language itself. Since 55% of all English words and 90% of two-syllable English words come from Latin, a student’s vocabulary is expanded and his range of expression is amplified. “It allows you to adore words, take them apart, and find out where they came from” (Theodore Geisel, aka, “Dr. Seuss”).
3. FOUNDATION FOR FURTHER LANGUAGE STUDIES
About 80% of the words in the “Romance Languages” (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian) find their origin in Latin. For those parents interested in providing their children with an education in a “more practical” language such as Spanish, the study of Latin provides a tremendous foundation!