Latin word list based on Duolingo course

If you're interested in doing the very idiosyncratic Latin Duolingo course, I've posted a word list on Memrise.

For those of you who may be interested in doing the very idiosyncratic Latin Duolingo course, I've posted a word list on Memrise.

Comments

[santamonica811]

Idiosyncratic in what sense? It's not a term I'd normally think applicable to a language-learning programme.

[LawTalkingGuy]

It’s like other DuoLingo courses, like Spanish or German, that teach modern conversational ability. This is an idiosyncratic method for learning Latin.

[Mr. Bumble]

Who speaks Latin conversationally?

[LawTalkingGuy]

Almost no one. That’s why DuoLingo is idiosyncratic. Although Princeton was trying to integrate conversation into their Latin courses:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BMfnw6oBq9w&t=202s

And this random dude went around the Vatican seeing if any clergy could converse in Latin.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fDhEzP0b-Wo

[KeithK]

If Luke from polyMathy is to be believed (the guy you linked), there are loads of people around the world who speak Latin conversationally. Like thousands, maybe even tens of thousands. Think of all the people you can speak with! Jokes aside, there is a good argument to be made that learning to speak the language instead of just reading it (the way I learned in school) makes for a stronger foundation in the language.

Not that Duolingo is the way to do that. In Latin or any other language, really.

[Mr. Bumble]

An example might be nice, since the link requires a sign-up.

[Longtobefree]

That's not how the web works - - - - - -

[Sasha Volokh]

Idiosyncratic because many of the sentences are about how the gods destroy the drunk parrots. Also because the Latin course is oddly short (it might be the shortest of all the Duolingo courses -- surely Latin must be the easiest of all languages!) and it looks like it might have been abandoned by its creators. It could use a substantial lengthening.

[Mr. Bumble]

Thanks for the explanation. Maybe it's short because there is no practical use for it (unless you are traveling to Romania, whose language I understand is the closest to Latin) and when even the Catholic church is doing its best to memory hole it.

[KeithK]

There's lots of practical value in learning Latin. Learning it in high school (without the drunk parrots) gave me a stronger basis for English vocabulary and for studying other languages later. It's a very different use than ordering dinner or talking to the stranger in a foreign country. But it's still useful.

[princess jasmine]

Duolingo, the other bird app…
https://youtu.be/8wc83qX6oNM

[Suudy]

I teach Latin at our parish school. I evaluated Duolingo since the Spanish teacher spoke so highly of it. And I agree, it does appear abandoned. It does not get beyond the present indicative for verbs, doesn't appear to address any of the uses of the ablative (other than with prepositions), and is extremely picky with vocabulary (you have to use *their* choice words, and their choices are, well, idiosyncratic).

I would not recommend it for learning Latin at all. At best it is an aid for vocabulary.