Latin To Be Introduced At 40 State Secondaries In England

[naomi24]

//£4m scheme will form part of government effort to counter subject’s reputation as elitist//

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jul/31/latin-introduced-40-state-secondaries-england

A difficult one. I tend to think that teaching modern languages is more beneficial to the majority - but I would welcome teaching Latin selectively - which makes it elitist. No?

[Jackdaw33]

Grammar schools are so-called because they taught Latin grammar.

[naomi24]

sqad, you do make me laugh. :o)

[pixie374]

It does help, though, bednobs. I'm really only referring to GCSE or A Level options, rather than all through school... when you are old enough to "choose". Secondary schools do seem to have a lot more choice, plus vocational options- so I may have been better off at one.
I'm not sure, tbh, what makes Latin "elitist"?

[Sqad]

Jim.....nothing to do with Latin.

In my day the top 2% of students based on academic ability went into the 6th form to do what was then A levels....the really bright students obtained 3 or4 A levels and amongst those with the highest marks were designated State Scholars and of offered " interviews " at an Oxbridge University.

In medicine the Oxbridge boys after doing the first 2 years then had to apply to a London Teaching Hospital which was clearly a formality.
There was some " arrogance" on behalf of some ofthe Oxbridge boys, but no big deal and it soon evened out.
The "oik" syndrome as highlighted by A-H was presented by some, but it became a "characteristic " and they realised that, played upon it and was quite entertaining to both sides,

My real aversion to the Oxbridge Universities is that at aged 18 my long term girlfriend dumped me for a medical student at.................Pembroke College Cambridge.......-;)

[bednobs]

Now I can actually see the article it makes it clear that it won't be compulsory for the entire time in those 40 schools

[vulcan42]

Latin is still a very useful language if only for it being the basis of naming flora. It means for instance, that when a botanist from Japan mentions a plant another botanist in Norway knows exactly which plant is being referred to. World wide plant recognition has always been extremely important and is becoming even more so.

[Gromit]

It will be something they can put on their curriculum vitae. Whatever that is.

[jno]

high time Oxbridge resumed the requirement for graduates to subscribe to the 36th canon respecting the doctrine and authority of the Church of England, and take the oath of supremacy. All this woke nonsense about letting in dissenters should be done away with at once.

[aelmpvw]

teaching em propa inglish wood be a start

[Tyrion44]

I was taught Latin to GCSE and still find it useful today

[Khandro]

Great!! The UK education system should stop levelling down so that morons & their parents don't feel victimised & start rounding upwards.

[Gromit]

// Latin is still a very useful language if only for it being the basis of naming flora. It means for instance, that when a botanist from Japan mentions a plant another botanist in Norway knows exactly which plant is being referred to. //

360 million speak English as their first language and 1.35 Billion can speak it. Less than 1% can speak Latin. English would be a far better means of international communisation.

[jno]

ita vero.

[Zacs-Master]

Pointless waste of time.

[vulcan42]

Gromit, Common names of plants vary among languages and even among regions within a single country so everybody speaking English would still result in confusion. Using Latin eliminates that.

[pixie374]

//Author//By that age, people should know really, what they are or aren't going to find useful or interesting. //

I'm not sure that's true. My thoughts at 16 didn't match my thoughts at 30.//

Probably mine neither tbf. But I think I would still have been better off doing subjects I at least had a passing interest in.
Randomly, I got AA in double science, Physics, Biology, Chemistry. Have never used two of those since.
Even worse at A Levels- they definitely went with it being a grammar school, and forgot it was also a girls' school. They gave 5 different options for different types of Physics. And had to drop 4, from lack of interest.

[pat2604]

I found Latin very useful, even though I didn't like it at school. It forms the basis of so many languages and really helps. With my interest in horticulture and nature it's also very useful.

[The Builder]

Conversational Latin or cracking jokes in Latin can only be elitist.
There are other benefits. I just happen to love languages, but largely for fun.
Latin is the basis of all the many Romance languages from Romanian to Portuguese. It's incredibly useful when trying to figure something out written in any of the Romance tongues. That's apart from any of the numerous "loan words" from Latin.

I did Latin to O level. Got a good grade, but would have been even better if we weren't forced to rattle off huge chunks (parrot fashion) of Virgil's miserable "Aeneid", which I did only half-heartedly.
(Sorry Peter Pedant)

Anyway, I think Latin has important uses. As long as they don't include ******* Virgil ;o)
(My asterisks. I didn't want to frighten the censor

[pat2604]

And I agree with khandro, but would be dominions as to call people morons!

[jno]

you could try expressing your profanities in Latin, The Builder. Virgil must have had a word for it...

And yes, knowledge of Latin is great for understanding how languages work (including English), how words are used and so on. Of course, there's nobody but the Pope and Boris to talk to in Latin, and I don't fancy either of them.