Language fluency in Latin

[VerbaLatina]

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What constitutes language fluency in Latin? For most languages, I'd say one would have to be able to read, write, speak, and comprehend other speakers of a language easily and without resources to be fluent. But it's a little different for Latin. First of all, Latin composition is extremely rare, and rarer still is Latin speech. Even most people who have studied Latin for years use a dictionary and other sources to translate Latin because the vocabulary and grammatical structures vary so much from author to author that it generally takes a few hundred lines to get used to reading a new author. So, how skilled does one have to be to justify claiming fluency in Latin?

 

[not so calm now]

So, how skilled does one have to be to justify claiming fluency in Latin?

Haha, I would probably say it's not worth mentioning, just because the question of fluency is really about whether you can communicate in a different language, and people don't learn Latin in order to communicate in it.

I'm personally a little bitter that I took years of Latin instead of a more useful language. I'm not mentioning anything about it in my application.

 

[dw2158]

I'm personally a little bitter that I took years of Latin instead of a more useful language. I'm not mentioning anything about it in my application.

agreed... i studied latin from 7th grade until junior year of college. lotta good it did me 😎

no seriously i love latin but it's not worth mentioning in your app.

 

[nick_carraway]

Haha, I would probably say it's not worth mentioning, just because the question of fluency is really about whether you can communicate in a different language, and people don't learn Latin in order to communicate in it.

I'm personally a little bitter that I took years of Latin instead of a more useful language. I'm not mentioning anything about it in my application.

What if you need to treat a priest or a Vatican official one day?

Learn to spin things!

 

[scotsdoc54]

What if you need to treat a priest or a Vatican official one day?

Learn to spin things!

Well, if you were treating my priest you would be out of luck. He speaks English, Spanish, French, and Twi (a native Ghananese language from what I understand). But his Latin needs a bit of work! It's a little unintelligible at times if its used during Mass. Lol

I think it's a neat quality, and you might as well list it if you have room. Quite honestly, I doubt there would be too many admin folks who know Latin to the extent that you claim to, so I don't know that anyone could legitimately question whether you're fluent in it. This would be especially true if you can speak Latin seamlessly without all the contemplative, abrupt stops that I have with my Spanish. I wouldn't make it a centerpiece of your application, but it's a neat quality.

 

[JonathanMD]

Well, if you were treating my priest you would be out of luck. He speaks English, Spanish, French, and Twi (a native Ghananese language from what I understand). But his Latin needs a bit of work! It's a little unintelligible at times if its used during Mass. Lol

B-B-But what if a patient is being possessed by a demon and is speaking in tongues? What if the exorcism needed to be performed inside the hospital and during the exorcism, the conversation between the possessed patient and the priest gave clues to more that could be done... and the priest didn't have time to translate it...!

 

[nick_carraway]

B-B-But what if a patient is being possessed by a demon and is speaking in tongues? What if the exorcism needed to be performed inside the hospital and during the exorcism, the conversation between the possessed patient and the priest gave clues to more that could be done... and the priest didn't have time to translate it...!

Seriously, people.

EXPAND YOUR MIND.

 

[scotsdoc54]

LOL, well exorcisms, which are hardly ever done, are done in the common tongue. Priests are required to know Latin with a certain competency, but not really for much more than what the liturgy prescribes (or can prescribe). So if the "demon" spoke Latin, then I would guess they would record it and send it off. Much much more likely though, the priest would say that the patient needed to see the psychiatric staff, haha.

I caught the sarcasm if it was there originally. If not, then you get the benefit of the doubt. I laughed anyway.

Well, we don't wanna derail the thread, so....

OP, IMO, say you're fluent in Latin! haha

 

[plsletmein]

Salve! Semper ubi sub ubi

Vale

 

[Brent8927]

What if you need to treat a priest or a Vatican official one day?

Learn to spin things!

My medieval European art professor read Latin, which is basically a necessity if you want to study the medieval era (as is knowing the Bible--even though he was Jewish!).

Anyway, he visited the Vatican and was surprised to see that you can chose Latin as the language preference on the ATMs there. He chose it, and he couldn't understand it well enough to complete a single transaction. Part of the problem of course, is he learned Medieval Latin, which is a bit different than Ecclesiastical Latin.

 

[Brent8927]

Salve! Semper ubi sub ubi

Vale

Romani ite domum!

(From The Life of Brian-- I love that scene!. "Conjugate the verb..." Lol)

 

[plsletmein]

Romani ite domum!

(From The Life of Brian-- I love that scene!. "Conjugate the verb..." Lol)

 

[Caesar]

I know latin. Fluency is really up for debate. If I can hand you Cicero or Virgil and you can translate it with no help (including dictionary), you could be 'fluent' in that you have mastery of vocabulary and grammar.

 

[nwilkes]

Well, latin is included in the languages section on amcas, so it's not something that needs to be otherwise mentioned.
As someone who has taken a decent amount of Latin, I would say you could add it as a language in it if you can read and write it comfortably. Do you know the grammar? Have a decent vocabulary? Doing well on the national latin exams or ap latin would be a good indicator. Just be prepared to do some declensions! 🙂

 

[plsletmein]

Just be prepared to do some declensions! 🙂

I have the image from the Dead Poet's Society movie in my head... agricola agricolae agricolae agricolam agricolā...

 

[nick_carraway]

I think we can declare this the nerdiest thread on SDN at the moment.

 

[plsletmein]

I think we can declare this the nerdiest thread on SDN at the moment.

 

[student1799]

What constitutes language fluency in Latin?

There is no such thing, because Latin is a dead language, and the concept of "fluency" is generally used only in reference to spoken languages. You could put down "Thorough reading knowledge of classical Latin," but I think even that would be beside the point. I believe that med schools are primarily interested in your language fluency insofar as it enhances your ability to communicate with patients.

Don't get me wrong: I think Latin is a wonderful thing. I took it for 6 years, as well as classical Greek. But other than helping me understand medical terminology, I doubt I'll ever make much use of it in med school.

 

[rabidpanda13]

Gold medal on the national latin exam. Holla!

 

[Brent8927]

I think we can declare this the nerdiest thread on SDN at the moment.

Hey, I don't actually speak/read any Latin--I've just watched a few Monty Python movies!

Wait... does that make me even nerdier than someone who speaks Latin?

...

 

[plsletmein]

There is no such thing, because Latin is a dead language, and the concept of "fluency" is generally used only in reference to spoken languages. You could put down "Thorough reading knowledge of classical Latin," but I think even that would be beside the point. I believe that med schools are primarily interested in your language fluency insofar as it enhances your ability to communicate with patients.

👍 i agree

Wait... does that make me even nerdier than someone who speaks Latin?

...

considering no one really speaks latin, i think it makes you a nerd 😛

and because we don't want to take away from the "nerdiness" of this thread, here's something I think from the idiot's guide book:
latin is a language, dead as it can be, first it killed the romans, now its killing me

 

[dw2158]

Gold medal on the national latin exam. Holla!

holla! i had forgotten about that until just now.

There is no such thing, because Latin is a dead language, and the concept of "fluency" is generally used only in reference to spoken languages. You could put down "Thorough reading knowledge of classical Latin," but I think even that would be beside the point. I believe that med schools are primarily interested in your language fluency insofar as it enhances your ability to communicate with patients.

Don't get me wrong: I think Latin is a wonderful thing. I took it for 6 years, as well as classical Greek. But other than helping me understand medical terminology, I doubt I'll ever make much use of it in med school.

sadly, i agree. but latin will always have a special place in my heart.

 

[NCDocWannabe]

I'm personally a little bitter that I took years of Latin instead of a more useful language. I'm not mentioning anything about it in my application.

I feel the same way!!! I only took it in high school because I bought into all of the "it's important for medicine/you'll kill the SAT" BS. WORST LIFE CHOICE EVER. That's 3 years of my life I will never get back...

 

[Daedalus]

👍 i agree



considering no one really speaks latin, i think it makes you a nerd 😛

Hey now, don't forget the Others - they speak Latin!

Granted they speak the ugly form... vulgar Latin, so it's certainly no Catonian rhetoric or Qui dono lepidum novum libellum, but I guess it gets the job done.

Valete, fellow nerds

 

[LizzyM]

On the other hand, until recently, one of the adcom leaders was a professor who translated Latin anatomy books when he wasn't teaching anatomy. Very big deal. He would totally groove if you listed Latin as one of your languages.

 

[student1799]

Qui dono lepidum novum libellum

Since we're being nerds, I get to correct your Latin. That should be "Cui dono" ("to whom I dedicate").

My personal favorite was always Catullus 23, where he makes fun of his friend Furius ...

 

[Daedalus]

Since we're being nerds, I get to correct your Latin. That should be "Cui dono" ("to whom I dedicate").

My personal favorite was always Catullus 23, where he makes fun of his friend Furius ...

Damn, you're right - its been a while, and I was reciting (apparently unsuccessfully) from memory

haha yeah 23 was good - there were lots of good Catullus poems - I always liked the "passer" and the word "pipiabat" 😛