Basics of Latin: A Grammar with Readings and Exercises from the Christian Tradition
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
Basics of Latin: A Grammar with Readings and Exercises from the Christian Tradition by Derek Cooper introduces students, independent learners, and homeschoolers to the basics of Latin grammar with all readings and exercises taken from texts in the Christian tradition.
As part of the widely-used Zondervan Language Basics series of resources, Cooper’s Latin grammar is a student-friendly introduction. It helps students learn by:
- Minimizing technical jargon
- Providing only the information needed to learn the basics
- Breaking the grammar of language down into manageable and intuitive chunks
- Illustrating the grammar in question by its use in rich selections from ancient Christian authors.
- Providing grammar, readings, exercises, and a lexicon all in one convenient volume.
Basics of Latin provides an ideal first step into this important language and focuses on getting the student into texts and translation as quickly as possible.
- Introduces the basics of Latin grammar
- Illustrates grammar by its use in rich selections from ancient Christian authors
- Provides a grammar, readings, exercises, and a lexicon
Top Highlights
“Latin does not possess the letter w, and the letters k, y, and z only appear in words borrowed from Greek.3” (Page xxii)
“(1) ‘classical,’ (2) ‘ecclesiastical,’ and (3) ‘national.’” (Page xxii)
“Whereas some Latin books offer trite, made-up sentences for students to translate, this book only contains real-life, bona fide sentences from Latin-writing Christians. Here is my pledge to you: I will not make up any Latin sentences in this book.” (Page xix)
“the vocative is identical to the nominative case (except in the second declension).” (Page 7)
“Cicero is probably the quintessential representative of classical Latin, but other noteworthy authors include Caesar, Catullus, Horace, Livy, Ovid, Virgil, and many others. Many educated Christians were exposed to the niceties of the Latin language by reading these eminent authors, so they became very familiar with what they said and, especially, how they said it (even when they regularly disagreed with the content).” (Pages xviii–xix)
- Title: Basics of Latin: A Grammar with Readings and Exercises from the Christian Tradition
- Author: Derek Cooper
- Series: Zondervan Language Basics
- Publisher: Zondervan
- Publication Date: 2020
- Pages: 320
- Resource Type: Grammar
- Topic: Latin
Derek Cooper is associate professor of historical theology and global Christianity at Reformed Episcopal Seminary. A long-term foreign language instructor, he has taught Latin, Spanish, and biblical Greek. Derek is the author of many books, including Introduction to World Christian History and Exploring Church History. He has offered professional Latin translations for the Reformation Commentary in Scripture, the Martin Luther Handwriting Font Book, and is the translator of Philip Melanchthon’s Commentary on Proverbs.
Reviews
2 ratings
Brian Jung
5/14/2024
Guy Smith
11/14/2023
(I'll post this same review on the videos and book.) The videos follow the book pretty tightly. Good primer for Latin beginners who need enough grammar and vocabulary to begin reading latin theology and the Latin Vulgate. I love how the introduction in the book by showing the reader that “approximately 80 percent” of Latin literature comes from Christian authors, rather than classic authors such as Cicero, Caesar, and Virgil. Cooper clearly loves the language and the rich history of Latin Theology throughout western civilization. There are 25 vocabulary words after each chapter and these words are chosen to help us read Christian literature and the Nova Vulgata. I'm glad Cooper teaches the class in classical pronunciation. My one request is for a one page complete chart of declensions. These kinds of memorization tools aren't found in the book anywhere from what I can find.
