Classical vs Ecclesiastical Latin

[Hadassah]

* Please be gentle; I know very little about Latin *

What's the difference between those two types of Latin? Is there a benefit to learning one over the other? Is there a third Latin "type" that I don't know about?

Thanks,

Hadassah

[LG Gone Wild]

* Please be gentle; I know very little about Latin *

What's the difference between those two types of Latin? Is there a benefit to learning one over the other? Is there a third Latin "type" that I don't know about?

Thanks,

Hadassah

 

Classical Latin is that of Romans, ecclesiastical Latin is church Latin. The difference is in some of the pronounciations, kind of like from dialect to another.

[AimeeM]

Classical Latin is that of Romans, ecclesiastical Latin is church Latin. The difference is in some of the pronounciations, kind of like from dialect to another.

Bingo.

I like the way Andrew Campbell explains it in his book "I Speak Latin".

Nobody's pronunciation is going to be dead on because, really, there isn't a reference. Pronunciation is the least of your concerns. Feel free to "speak" it like a barbarian :D

[Joules]

Classical Latin is that of Romans, ecclesiastical Latin is church Latin. The difference is in some of the pronounciations, kind of like from dialect to another.

 

:iagree: I looked at it when I was trying to decide. In general, I was told if you are interested in Latin for academic reasons (word roots, medicine, etc.), go with classical (though ecclesiastical won't hurt). If you are interested for church or choral reasons, go with ecclesiastical, because that is the pronunciation used in singing and prayers.

[Hadassah]

So just for clarification - if I wanted to teach "secular" Latin, then I should go with Classical?

[LG Gone Wild]

So just for clarification - if I wanted to teach "secular" Latin, then I should go with Classical?

 

Yes

[Desert Rat]

Yes. We are secular. I have taught classical Latin for 5 years. We use Latin for Children and Wheelock's. Both teach both pronunciations.

The only thing I don't like about classical pronunciation for Latin?

Veni, vedi, vici doesn't sound nearly as impressive with w sounds for the v's. :lol:

[Hadassah]

The only thing I don't like about classical pronunciation for Latin?

Veni, vedi, vici doesn't sound nearly as impressive with w sounds for the v's. :lol:

:iagree: :D

 

Thanks for the help. Going with classical!

[jhschool]

Beware!

 

You will be saying

 

walay

 

instead of

 

vale

 

like God intended.

 

:)

[Sputterduck]

Yes. We are secular. I have taught classical Latin for 5 years. We use Latin for Children and Wheelock's. Both teach both pronunciations.

The only thing I don't like about classical pronunciation for Latin?

Veni, vedi, vici doesn't sound nearly as impressive with w sounds for the v's. :lol:

 

Classical veni, vedi, vici sounds like Elmer Fudd. After looking at the pronunciations in depth and worrying overmuch over it all... I didn't want to sound like Elmer Fudd.

[gardenmom5]

mother of a latin snob here.

 

yes, there is a difference, though I couldn't describe it.

 

dd (four years college latin, won all three latin prizes - the kind with $$$ attached - her university offered.) is adament about only classical latin, as with it you can read both classical and ecclesiastical latin.

 

I know there is an older greek than the classical/attick that is more commonly studied, but I'm not sure about latin.

[Hadassah]

Well, my family is Jewish, so I don't know how useful/logical it would be to study Ecclesiastal instead of Classical. Somehow, I can't really picture us frequenting churches :001_smile:.