However, since Latin is not only the language of Rome but the Middle Ages and beyond, correct Latin is, in a sense, that Latin used in the literature that has come down to us from history. The history of Latin is the history of deviation and course corrections towards a more or less classical Latin norm. What constitutes correct or good Latin is a debate going back to antiquity: the models and stylistic ideals changed over time: e.g., some sought to imitate one or a select few authors, while others adopted a language based on the use of a wide array of authors, and even creating new words and constructions. That being said, ample reading and philological study gets us very far in understanding and appreciating Latin literature. However, despite the great advances offered by philological research over the centuries, there is always a sort of veil between the Latin of ancient literature and us: we just don’t know enough about the exact nuances, or connotations of words, what a slight shift in word order does to the tone or weight of the sentence. Thanks to a great number of philological works on stylistics and commentaries, we know quite a lot about the minutiae of the language there are even Latin synonym dictionaries.
Many, again, myself included, strive to speak in a manner similar to the writings of the classical authors, especially concerning grammar. The Veiled Vestal, by Raffaelle Monti, 1847. (Of course, there were other models as well.) Furthermore, a large body of work from these authors is available to us, allowing scholars to get a clear picture of the grammar and syntax of the language they wrote in. This is not without cause, for instance, Cicero and Virgil were authors studied already in Roman schools, and were models of prose and poetry throughout the middle ages and the renaissance and beyond. Indeed, Latin grammar books are largely based on the language used in the high literature of a rather small number of authors (e.g. When Latin teachers say “speak Latin,” we usually mean “to speak in a manner conforming to the literary language of the great works of antiquity and beyond.” While we have very few texts showing the actual colloquial language of everyday life in Ancient Rome, we have a substantial amount of highly literary works of oratory, poetry, and history. So what does “speak Latin” mean, if not the way the Romans spoke it everyday?
Vindolanda tablet 291 with a party invitation written in ink, in two hands, from Claudia Severa to Lepidina. Is it possible to speak Latin fluently?.What is correct Latin, and how correct Latin can we speak?.Let’s look at the common questions I get when I say that I speak Latin and teach others to do as well: To answer the question if it’s possible to speak Latin, we need first to look at what we mean by speaking Latin and what constitutes correct Latin. For some examples of spoken Latin, you can watch the many videos in Latin on this site or in this playlist. Many people, mostly Latin teachers and autodidacts, speak Latin daily inside and outside the classroom. However, in recent decades, many teachers and learners have realized the benefits of using Latin actively in learning and teaching. Usually, students learn Latin by memorizing grammar and translating Latin literature using dictionaries and grammar. Speaking a language that you are learning might seem natural, but this is not the case for Latin. I started speaking Latin to learn to read Latin literature better, and now I use it in teaching and daily communication with fellow Latin teachers worldwide. However, it is also used for enjoyment and by Latin learners, teachers, and some scholars in different countries as a lingua franca. Today, speaking Latin is mainly a tool for learning and teaching Latin. Latin can be spoken and is spoken today, but this does not mean that it is used in the same manner as modern languages such as English or Spanish. Today many ask if it’s still possible to speak Latin and if people do speak it. But an even more enduring Roman monument is the Latin language spoken and written far beyond the fall of Rome, into the middle ages, and on through the renaissance and early modern period. The Pantheon and Colosseum, both monuments of Ancient Rome, are still standing.
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