Latin Language
Latin is an ancient language with a rich history that has persisted for over two millennia, though it no longer has native speakers. Today, it is primarily studied as a second language by students around the globe, particularly in academic settings. Latin holds significant religious importance, especially within the Roman Catholic Church, where it remains the official language of Vatican City despite a decline in its use during mass since the 1960s.
Historically, Latin evolved from Old Latin through various stages, including Classical Latin, Vulgar Latin, Medieval Latin, and Renaissance Latin, each contributing to its development and cultural significance. The language was instrumental in the expansion of the Roman Empire, influencing many regions from North Africa to the British Isles. Latin is the progenitor of the modern Romance languages—Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian—and its vocabulary has deeply impacted English and other Germanic languages.
While Latin has largely fallen out of everyday use, it continues to be relevant in fields such as law, science, and theology. Its legacy endures in academia, where classical texts are still studied, and approximately 80 percent of scholarly English vocabulary derives from Latin. Despite being categorized as a "dead" language, Latin remains an important symbol of education and intellectual heritage in contemporary society.
Latin Language
Latin is a language that has endured in some function for two millennia. There are no longer native speakers of Latin; however, it continues to be studied as a second language by students worldwide. With firm roots in the Roman Catholic religion, Latin remains an official language of Vatican City and is regulated by the church. Although the Second Vatican Council ended the use of Latin for mass in the 1960s, the language is still used by church officials.
The Latin language has been a source of considerable influence over the centuries. However, it too was once a developing language and has many borrowings and contributions from other languages. The influence of Etruscan, a now extinct but highly documented language, offered loanwords such as caerimonia (ceremony), persona (mask), and histrio (actor). The Greek language inspired the Latin alphabet as well as religious terminology, as the church hoped to avoid using pagan words.
History and Classification
The evolution of Latin began with Old Latin, a period that dates from its unknown origins to around 75 BCE Latin was only one dialect on the Italian peninsula, spoken in Latium, the area that is now known as Lazio. Rome was founded in this region as well, and the biggest challengers to the supremacy of the Latini tribes were the speakers of Oscan. After the Social War of 91–87 BCE, the Oscan speakers were defeated by the Latini and the rise of Roman supremacy was assured. By the first century C.E., Romans ruled all of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, spreading their Latin language through military dominance, resettlement, increased population mobility, law, and administration.
From 75 BCE to 200 CE is known as the age of Classical Latin. This era's form of Latin is the most commonly taught and is divided into the Golden and Silver Ages. The Golden Age (70 BCE–18 CE) produced remarkable poetry and literature, such as Lucretius's De rerum natura, Julius Caesar's commentaries on the Gallic Wars, and works by Cicero. It was followed by the Silver Age (18–133 CE), which saw the writings on Stoic philosophy by Seneca and Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia. From 200 to 900 CE, the colloquial Vulgar Latin, also known as Sermo Vulgaris, developed. The modern Romance languages—Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian—are descended from Vulgar Latin, which differed greatly from the grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary associated with the Classical Latin of literature.
Medieval Latin dates from 900 to 1300 CE Latin was influenced by colloquial speaking, and there was no consistency in spelling. It remained the language of both the Roman Catholic Church and of academics. Its use in science, alchemy, and scholarship allowed for international communication over ideas, inventions, and concepts in a common language. Medieval Latin was followed by Renaissance Latin, which is dated from 1300–1500 CE. The European Renaissance dates from 1400–1650 CE, and it was in this period that European society embraced the arts, culture, literature, and their classical heritage. Rediscovering the works of Classical Latin authors such as Ovid, Julius Caesar, Tacitus, and Virgil led to a revival of interest in Latin.
New Latin, also known as Neo-Latin, is dated from 1500 CE, while Contemporary Latin begins in 1900 CE, with both running into the twenty-first century. Beginning with the invention of the printing press and the widespread adaption of vernacular languages, Latin slowly began fading out of popular use. It remained useful for law, religion, and education as well as for international communication. The French language replaced Latin as the universal language of diplomacy and politics of Europe by the eighteenth century. As French, Italian, and eventually English rose in prominence, Latin fell into obscurity and was viewed as difficult to learn and awkward for modern communication.
Geographic Distribution and Modern Usage
The Latini tribes lived along the lower river Tiber on the Italian peninsula. The founding of Rome in 753 BCE marked the beginning of what would become the Roman Empire. Spoken by Romans, the Latin language spread as the empire expanded. Latin, as the language of the Catholic Church, grew even more widespread as the religion gained a foothold across the European continent.
The Roman Empire eventually sprawled from North Africa to the British Isles, and Latin was spoken throughout these areas. Many Roman citizens were literate, reading popular works by Latin authors. Latin remained widely used until the fifteenth century when it was largely replaced by written vernacular languages; however, it continued to be taught in colleges and universities. It was a core subject not only in Europe but also in the Americas and Australia.
In the twenty-first century, Latin is considered a language useful mostly for academic and traditional purposes. Classical Latin authors continue to be read and studied worldwide, both in their original form and in translation. All modern Romance languages are descended from Latin, and many Latin words were absorbed into Germanic tongues as well. It is estimated that 80 percent of scholarly English words come from Latin, which is still used along with Greek as a main source of new scientific terms. Latin is taught primarily for education and translation rather than as a method of communication. Latin is seen as a symbol of science, theology, and scholastic achievement, and although Latin is no longer considered a living language, it retains its place in the modern world.
Bibliography
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http://www.brighthubeducation.com/learning-translating-latin/17702-brief-history-of-latin-language/
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