Why Latin- Part II

As already mentioned, I consider one of the strengths of a classical education to be its emphasis on teaching students how to think. Utilization of the classical languages, namely Latin and Greek, is an important part of this, as I shall attempt to demonstrate.

Imagine 'The Declaration of Independence' without words like liberty and justice. Though we cannot touch or hold these ideas with our hands, few would argue that they are less than foundational to our entire society. Mature, fully formed language is the tool we need to conceptualize and communicate these important abstract concepts. Indeed, the more precision a language has, the better it serves in such circumstances. It helps to organize our thinking if the language itself is organized. Misunderstanding is also reduced because the language, properly used, eliminates ambiguity. If a student is interested in both wisdom and eloquence, then they must be a master of language because it is the very currency of both.

Toward such ends, Latin and Greek are the languages of Western society largely because they are not only both organized and precise but also because it was in these languages that men first expressed many of the ideas that we hold most dear. Though we do not speak them directly anymore, we must recognize them as our 'linguistic forefathers.' The basic organization of thought in English comes from these languages as does the overwhelming majority of our vocabulary. Having studied Latin for four years in High School myself, I can attest that I never really learned English until I learned Latin.

As public discourse continues to decline (consider Orwell's 'Newspeak' from 1984), we must restore training in the classic languages. To fail to do so is ultimately another step towards giving up our ability to reason and think altogether. Can theological truth be presented with terms such as "pwned" or "ROFL?" Could the U.S. Constitution be written with the same? What better way to strengthen our thinking and communication than to hone our language abilities? What better way to improve our ability to use English than to know and study it at its taproot?