A Natural History of Latin

By Tore Janson

Book Overview

No known language, including English, has achieved the success and longevity of Latin. French, Spanish, Italian, and Romanian are among its direct descendants, and countless Latin words and phrases comprise the cornerstone of English itself. A Natural History or Latin tells its history from its origins over 2500 years ago to the present. Brilliantly conceived, popularizing but authoritative, and written with the fluency and light touch that have made Tore Janson's Speak so attractive to tens of thousands of readers, it is a masterpiece of adroit synthesis.

The book commences with a description of the origins, emergence, and dominance of Latin over the Classical period. Then follows an account of its survival through the Middle Ages into modern times, with emphasis on its evolution throughout the history, culture, and religious practices of Medieval Europe. By judicious quotation of Latin words, phrases, and texts the author illustrates how the written and spoken language changed, region by region over time; how it met resistance from native languages; and how therefore some entire languages disappeared. Janson offers a vivid demonstration of the value of Latin as a means of access to a vibrant past and a persuasive argument for its continued worth. A concise and easy-to-understand introduction to Latin grammar and a list of the most frequent Latin words, including 500 idioms and phrases still in common use, complement the work.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199263094
• ISBN13: 9780199263097
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 5.7" x 1.0" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Interesting Book

I was a little worried about how this book would be, after seeing so many negative views on the book, but I felt that it was an enjoyable read. I studied Latin in high school for four years, and although I eventually forgot most of my Latin studies, I had some fond times and eventually began studying German and Spanish, Latin's son. With that being the case, I thought that a concise history of the Latin language could be an interesting read, and I'm glad that I decided to read this book. This book examines Latin through the ages, from its prominent usage in Rome to its usage today in animal classification. The book is written on an easy level, so that non-linguists can enjoy reading the book. I also enjoy how the book is broken down into sections, with headings. For instance, one such heading is "Latin in Britain" and in this brief section of the book, the usage of Latin is described in ancient Britain. Through the usage of these headings, the book is divided into easily-digestible sections for those who do not have the time to read large chapters of books in one sitting. The short grammar and vocabulary list is also a nice inclusion in the back of the book for those who want to pursue Latin as a study. Overall, I found this book to be a fun read, and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in a concise history of the Latin language.

For those who love Latin

An ideal companion for those who are learning latin for themselves, like me. A mix of history, linguistics and...latin! Enlightening. Worth every cent.

The right balance

Of several books published in 2007 about lingua latina, this paperbook has the right balance of history, quotations as examples with literal and modern translation. Carpe diem (Mount) is a nice appetizer while Ad infinitum has too many seconds and thirds (Ostler). If you don't have the time to read all three, start with this. For those who did major in the classics.

concise and graceful

I wonder if we all read the same book...I read as book as my introduction to things Latin and I am glad I did. The author packs a lot of information into a short book and I think he does it very gracefully. His approach is scholarly but he does not lose his sense of humor. I don't know very much about Rome and the Latin language. FOr me this book was time well spent.

Wonderful!

This book is supposed to explain things like how the language grew and how it spread. It does that and it does talk about why it proved to be as useful as it became. What makes this book great, is that it doesn't start there. It barely begins there. He then spends a lot of time explaining how words moved from Latin to other languages such as English how we still have Latin names for our months and our days of the week. March was the first month originally, so October was 8th (think Octogon) and September was 9th. July for Julius. and August for Augustus. Again, what would be expected. What goes beyond what I expected was the analsis he provides of the development of Latin poetry both from the perspective of having been mere translation of, the imitations of, the Greek works, and then forming and following rules of its own. Read this book and you'll know more than the history of Latin. You'll have a good overview of the development of Latin literature and a synopsis of some of the major works. You'll also get a basic understanding of how the Roman government worked and the strange way years were names in antiquity. He even has a small chapter (2 or 3 pages) on Latin terms in Harry Potter. The Hogwarts motto means "A Sleeping Dragon Shouldn't be Tickled". He's an interesting author. Not many writers would pause in a discussion of linguistic history to denounce the military career of Julius Ceaser. He's intelligent and assumes his reader is as well. It makes for a wonderful book. I can't praise it highly enough.