Greek vs. Latin for classical language study early on?

[sarahv]

Are they equal in the classical language educational realm? Would you start with Latin only, or Greek only and why? Who would recommend studies in both? I'm interested in opinions...

[Maverick]

I'm not a classical specialist at all, so hopefully others who know more will chime in, but my understanding is that for training the mind and learning grammar and vocabulary both are equally beneficial. The reason more people start their younger children in Latin is that there are many more resources available. Also, since Latin uses the same alphabet as English it seems more accessible to parents teaching a classical language for the first time.

[Beth in Central TX]

We study both Latin and Greek. I started my older boys in 2nd & 3rd grade with Prima Latina and Greek Alphabetarion. My sons are in 6th & 7th grade this year, and they are working through Lingua Latina and NT Greek for Beginners. We've had no problems starting both languages at the same time. However, I did wait until they were both reading and writing well in English.

Here is our progression through the years:

Prima Latina/Greek Alphabetarion
Latina Christiana I/Elementary Greek I
Basic Language Principles with Latin Background/Elementary Greek II
Latina Christiana II/Elementary Greek III
Lingua Latina/NT Greek for Beginners

It will take us 3 years to get through our current Latin & Greek texts. I plan to continue both languages throughout high school.

ETA: We decided to study both languages after reading Climbing Parnassus: A New Apologia for Greek and Latin by Tracy Lee Simmons which argues that Latin and Greek are foundational to a classical education.

HTH!

[sarahv]

So Beth, have you done any modern foreign languages, like Spanish or French, etc? I would like to do both Greek and Latin, and a spoken foreign languange, but don't know when to start any or all of them, you know?

Anyway, just curious. Thanks for the book title, I'll add that to my reading list. :001_smile:

[Beth in Central TX]

No, I haven't done any modern foreign languages, and I don't plan to. My oldest son has expressed an interest in Hebrew, and my middle son likes Spanish. If they want to, I will add these as electives in high school, but I will probably use an on-line class or a program like Rosetta Stone or Switched on Schoolhouse. I teach Latin and my husband teaches Greek. We struggle to keep ahead of our boys in these subjects, so adding another foreign language is impossible at this point. I did take German in high school and college, so I might be able to tackle that, but no one has shown an interest thus far.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Are they equal in the classical language educational realm? Would you start with Latin only, or Greek only and why? Who would recommend studies in both? I'm interested in opinions...

Because of our religious orientation (more towards Greece than Rome) I would have started with Greek first, and added in Latin later. There was nothing available for small children on Greek, so I began with Latin and added in Greek as soon as I had a kid ready for the materials that are available.

[Sahamamama]

... a few links for Greek:

http://www.opentexture.com/

https://www.triviumpursuit.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16166&cat=256&page=1

... a few links for Latin:

http://www.classicalacademicpress.com/

http://www.memoriapress.com/descriptions/index_latin.htm

... and a few links for Mama:

http://www.amazon.com/Climbing-Parnassus-Apologia-Greek-Latin/dp/1882926730

http://www.caerdroia.org/116/archives/001172.html (a review of the above book, sort of)

Hope this helps! Happy researching! :001_smile:

[laylamcb]

I second the recommendation of Climbing Parnassus--I love that book! Great apologetic for learning both of the classical languages. For a concise summary of Simmons' arguments, also see Andrew "Plaid Dad" Campbell's Latin-Centered Curriculum (http://www.memoriapress.com/descriptions/Latin-Centered.html).

We're just starting out with languages; my dd doesn't even read yet, so she has only done some Prima Latina and Song School Latin orally. I plan to get going with Greek in 1-3 years, depending on how she's doing with English and Latin.

I also read to the kids every night in French; they watch movies in French (where available) and listen to French children's songs. But I don't plan to do anything formal in French or any other modern foreign language anytime soon.

[clwcain]

I second the recommendation of Climbing Parnassus--I love that book! Great apologetic for learning both of the classical languages. For a concise summary of Simmons' arguments, also see Andrew "Plaid Dad" Campbell's Latin-Centered Curriculum (http://www.memoriapress.com/descriptions/Latin-Centered.html).

We're just starting out with languages; my dd doesn't even read yet, so she has only done some Prima Latina and Song School Latin orally. I plan to get going with Greek in 1-3 years, depending on how she's doing with English and Latin.
:iagree:

I also read to the kids every night in French; they watch movies in French (where available) and listen to French children's songs. But I don't plan to do anything formal in French or any other modern foreign language anytime soon.
We do the same. I do read to them in both Latin and Italian, too, and much of our domestic prayer life is Latin. So there is environmental exposure to prepare the way.