I learnt Latin at school and am very glad I did. As well as introducing me to Latin culture and literature, I am sure that it has helped me with my spelling. <BR><BR>Many of the words that are commonly spelled wrongly have Latin roots, and knowing how they are constructed has helped me avoid the usual errors in words like <I>necessary</I> and <I>millennium</I>.<BR><BR>So... Please let us know if Latin has helped you in this way.I learnt Latin and have little trouble with spelling.I learnt Latin and sometimes have trouble with spelling.I didn't take Latin and have little trouble with spelling.I didn't take Latin and sometimes have trouble with spelling.

Wehre's "I didn't take Latin, and I am a terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible speller"?

Arnie, I took Latin and really felt it helped with word derivations, especially because I am in the medical field. However, I must admit that it did not seem to help me with spelling. I wonder if that is because of spellcheckers--or just genetic. At any rate, the Latin didn't seem to help, as my vote indicated.

[This message was edited by Kalleh on Thu Aug 22nd, 2002 at 7:03.]

Of course my knowledge of Greek has helped me immensely with the spelling of English, especially of medical terms when I'm doing a medical translation. I know Modern and Ancient Greek are subjects one can study at the university level but is Greek offered as a subject in American or British High Schools? Does anyone take it?

Classical Greek is taught in a few state schools in England, but not many. I believe the independent (fee-paying) schools may offer it slightly more often, but, again, only rarely. Latin is taught slightly more, but most schools don't offer it as an option these days, unlike 50 years ago.

I doubt that Modern Greek is taught at all, unless in a school with special Greek connections.

In my part of the U. S., New York State, public high school children must take and pass 3 years of a foreign language to graduate. Last time I looked, it was still a choice of Spanish, German, or French for most students, but Latin was available if you were an honor student and passed certain criteria. To the best of my knowledge, nothing else is offered in the public school system. I believe it is the same in the private schools, as well.

arnie, would you latin background give you a leg up in our thread of "animal terms" such as canine, feline, etc.?

quote:

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Originally posted by museamuse:
...is Greek offered as a subject in American or British High Schools? Does anyone take it?

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A Greek man at work majored in Greek history and philosophy in Greece and taught there before coming to America. He approached the leaders of the Greek community (Ahepo?) in the Seattle area where he lives, offering to teach their children. He teaches modern Greek to, I think, 23 students ranging from elementary to high school age. He also teaches some Greek history and philosophy. The Greek government supplies the textbooks. He would love to teach full time, but the community is not large enough to support that.

He said that other areas of the country - New York, Chicago, New Jersey - have large enough Greek communities (1.5 million in New York) to have full-time schools supported by the Greek government. Students not only have to study Greek history, language, philosophy, etc. to satisfy the Greek government, they must also study American history, etc. to satisfy the American government. He said some non-Greeks enroll their children in those schools because of the superior education they offer.

Tinman

I'll answer with the "No Latin/Little trouble" choice even though I could easily have opted for the 4th option as well. If you have little trouble with spelling this means, by definition, that you sometimes have trouble.

Actually I would prefer to vote for a 5th option:

"No, I didn't take Latin and only misspell words when I post on this site."