Ecce Liber Lingua Latina
Usually Latin text books are regarded as dull and readers would easily lose their way inside the horrid grammar labyrinth.
This is actually true in many cases. Having decided to teach myself Latin, I bought a few Latin learning books. My first Latin book was so learner hostile that I stop reading it after the second chapter. My second Latin book was the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Learning Latin, which is not that bad, but I wouldn’t say it is recommendable. Last year, I bought myself a copy of Wheelock’s Latin, which is unarguably the best of its kind, it should be own by anyone serious in learning the language.
Still, I am looking for another more interesting way to learn the language. Teach Yourself Beginner’s Latin looks promising, though I’d never bought the book.
Few weeks ago, Payless Books was having its annual sales, where all the non fiction books were given 50% discount. I spent more than RM80 for two bags of books, and one of the treasures I found in the sales is Ecce Romani, a Latin text book for high school students. Ecce itself cost about RM15.45, after the discount.
First published in the United Kingdom in 1971, this book delivers everything it promised in its back cover. It is unmistakably one of the most learner friendly Latin textbooks. The book teaches Latin by telling the story of a Roman family, with easy to understand vocabulary. The entire book is lavishly illustrated, the pictures vividly portrait the lives of the Romans in the first century C.E. The grammar is explained in a simple, easy to understand way that students would easily grasp the complicated grammatical concepts.
Just like many Latin text books, each chapter of Ecce is completed with useful essays on Roman lives, history and myths. Although the book is written for high school students, I suppose most mature adults interested in Latin would enjoy this well written book as well.
As mentioned in some reviews of the book, Ecce is fun to read because of its unintentional (or perhaps intentional) humors, the most (in)famous one would be none other than Sextus est puer molestus.
I would highly recommend this book for any beginners of Latin, it’s a fun, enjoyable and effective textbook. Still, I would think Wheelock’s Latin is irreplaceable. After finishing Ecce, it is best to continue with Wheelock’s.
This is actually true in many cases. Having decided to teach myself Latin, I bought a few Latin learning books. My first Latin book was so learner hostile that I stop reading it after the second chapter. My second Latin book was the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Learning Latin, which is not that bad, but I wouldn’t say it is recommendable. Last year, I bought myself a copy of Wheelock’s Latin, which is unarguably the best of its kind, it should be own by anyone serious in learning the language.
Still, I am looking for another more interesting way to learn the language. Teach Yourself Beginner’s Latin looks promising, though I’d never bought the book.
Few weeks ago, Payless Books was having its annual sales, where all the non fiction books were given 50% discount. I spent more than RM80 for two bags of books, and one of the treasures I found in the sales is Ecce Romani, a Latin text book for high school students. Ecce itself cost about RM15.45, after the discount.
First published in the United Kingdom in 1971, this book delivers everything it promised in its back cover. It is unmistakably one of the most learner friendly Latin textbooks. The book teaches Latin by telling the story of a Roman family, with easy to understand vocabulary. The entire book is lavishly illustrated, the pictures vividly portrait the lives of the Romans in the first century C.E. The grammar is explained in a simple, easy to understand way that students would easily grasp the complicated grammatical concepts.
Just like many Latin text books, each chapter of Ecce is completed with useful essays on Roman lives, history and myths. Although the book is written for high school students, I suppose most mature adults interested in Latin would enjoy this well written book as well.
As mentioned in some reviews of the book, Ecce is fun to read because of its unintentional (or perhaps intentional) humors, the most (in)famous one would be none other than Sextus est puer molestus.
I would highly recommend this book for any beginners of Latin, it’s a fun, enjoyable and effective textbook. Still, I would think Wheelock’s Latin is irreplaceable. After finishing Ecce, it is best to continue with Wheelock’s.
posted by Nishiki at
11:56 PM
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