Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module will give students a basic knowledge of Latin, sufficient for dealing, at an elementary level, with some of the linguistic aspects of Latin texts. In addition, it aims at developing students' skills of literary analysis of Latin texts.

In addition to covering the grammar, in-class time will be spent on translating and discussing short texts in the original, with the following aims:
1. to help students to solidify and extend their working knowledge of basic vocabulary and its usage;
2. to give students an opportunity to put their developing knowledge of key grammatical patterns and syntactical structures into practice;
3. to help students to develop their ability to analyse and appreciate the effects of different modes of expression in the language, including differences of meaning and style, without the aid of a published translation;
4. to train students in the application of language skills to literary analysis, and in critical reading of texts in the original language;
5. to assist students in developing and applying increasingly nuanced translation strategies based on the foregoing skills; and
6. to enhance students' ability to read classical literature more meaningfully by applying all these skills to unfamiliar texts in the original language.

Outline Of Syllabus

- The principles of Latin, and its differences from English;
- The Latin grammar as introduced in the relevant Latin textbook ('Reading Latin'), including such central material as the more elementary forms of the verbs, the case-forms of nouns etc.
- Core Latin vocabulary
- Practice of translation and interpretation

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On completion of this module, students should have acquired:
* an understanding of the basic principles of the Latin language
* a knowledge of the most important features of Latin grammar, including a command of some essential grammatical forms and syntactical structures of Latin
* a knowledge of the 'tables' (setting out forms of verbs, nouns, adjectives etc.) covered in this semester
* a knowledge of core Latin vocabulary

Intended Skill Outcomes

Students should have acquired:
* the ability to use a Latin dictionary
* the ability to translate a Latin text into good and stylistically appropriate English
* elementary skills of analysis of a Latin text
* the adaptability to apply the skills learnt to new pieces of Latin

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The three taught classes per week introduce, explain, demonstrate, and give students the opportunity to apply under guidance, the knowledge of the Latin language and the approach to analysing Latin texts which the module aims to instil. Time is set aside in each session for students to ask questions.

In private study, students consolidate knowledge imparted in the taught classes, further practise applying that knowledge to set exercises, and learn to use their language skills to think in analytical and constructive ways about original Latin texts. Written exercises are set in order to aid students review, apply, and consolidate their linguistic knowledge.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Written examination: An examination is still inevitably the best way of testing students' assimilation of linguistic knowledge and skills in both seen and unseen texts, without the use of aids such as grammar-charts. It is thus the ideal format for assessing students' assimilation and command of the taught material.

The tests ensure students’ constant review of the material covered in the module, and allow the teacher to detect difficulties early on in the semester and provide students with constant feedback on their progress.

Short homework exercises help students review and consolidate the material introduced to them in the previous session.

The formative language skills exercise will test students' ability to understand and critically analyse a text.

Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing.

This module cannot be made available to Study-abroad, non-Erasmus exchange and Loyola students unless they can be present for the whole of Semester 1 including the assessment period.

All Erasmus students at Newcastle University are expected to do the same assessment as students registered for a degree.

General Notes

N/A