Course Objectives: The primary goal of the course is to develop skill in comprehending written Latin; syntax will be covered, and a beginning vocabulary will be obtained. Reasonable facility in the pronunciation of classical Latin is also to be achieved, and attention will be given to the formation of English vocabulary from Latin roots. Our major objective is to learn to read, comprehend, and enjoy Latin texts. Having fun means learning to read. Learning to read means doing the work together.
Activities: Considerable time will be spent analyzing the inflectional patterns of the Latin language; written exercises both in class and assigned as homework will reinforce these patterns and aid in memorization. Students will have regular practice reading Latin for comprehension, and composing Latin sentences. Oral drill and recitation will establish proper pronunciation. Discussions arising from assigned reading will focus chiefly upon classical literature, mythology, and the history of the Graeco-Roman period.
Textbooks: Frederick M. Wheelock and R.A. LaFleur,
Wheelock’s Latin (1995).
Anne Groton and James May, Latin Stories (1986).
optional: J. Humphreys, Graphic Latin Grammar (1995).
Vocabulary Study Help: on the web at cheiron.humanities.mcmaster.ca/latin
Course Preparation: Daily preparation and review is the key to success -- you must NOT allow yourself to fall behind (Daily assignments are due at the beginning of class; late work/makeup work will not be accepted). Learning Latin can be time consuming, but the investment is worth the effort. Remember: (1) Practice, Practice, Practice! Compose sentences using new vocabulary, grammar, and sentence patterns. Do and redo the chapterreadings. (2) Review, review, review vocabulary and grammar. (3) Read, read aloud, read often! Record yourself, listen and then, read again. Latin was meant to be heard: auxilium est in manu, insanire iuvat, discere est non certamen.
Absences: Learning any foreign language requires constant practice. If you fall behind, you will never be able to ‘catch up’. Students who absent themselves will automatically be punished by poor test scores. Unexcused absences of any kind are not allowed and no work can be made up for any unexcused absence. Specifically three unexcused absences (absences without the documentation of an illness, death in the family, or religious observance) will lower your daily grade enough to drop your final grade by one letter grade.
Student Honor Code: All students are responsible for knowing and obeying the student honor code, which can be found in the UF undergraduate catalog on-line. Here are a few excerpts:
Cheating: The improper taking or tendering of any information or material which shall be used to determine academic credit. Taking of information includes, but is not limited to, copying graded homework assignments from another studetns; working together with another individual on a take-home test or homework when not specifically permitted by the teacher, ... Tendering of information includes, but is not limited to, giving your work to another student to be used or copied ...
Plagiarism: The attempt to represent the work of another as the product of one's own thought, whether the work is published or unpublished, or simply the work of a fellow student. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, quoting oral or written materials without citation on an exam, term paper, homework, ...
Misrepresentation: Any act or omission with intent to deceive a teacher for academic advantage ... (this includes downloading homework, papers, or any assignment from the internet and representing it as your own work).
Sanctions: If you are found cheating in this course, you will be reported to the honor council. Your instructor considers cheating inany form to be a fundamental violation of education and will request that the honor council apply the maximum penalty for the offense.
If you are found guilty, sanctions may include one or more of thefollowing: Reprimand, Conduct probation, Suspension, Expulsion, Reduced or failing grade, Community service, Educational seminar or paper.
Grades:
Grading Scale:
60% Exams [Sept. 24; Oct. 24; Nov. 21]
100 - 90 = A
20% Daily Work / Quizzes [announced/unannounced]
89 - 80 = B
20% Final [Scheduled date]
79 - 70 = C
69 -60 = D
59- = F
Assignment
Schedule: