Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

CLA1001 needs to have been taken in the same or a previous academic year.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module follows on from CLA1001 and covers most of the remainder of Latin grammar; this will enable students to translate and analyse some original Latin texts for themselves.

The module aims to:
•develop further the skills and knowledge that students have acquired in CLA1001
•provide students with an enhanced knowledge of Latin grammar and vocabulary
•deal with some of the less complicated Latin texts in the original
•equip students to take Latin at the intermediate level

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

- continuing with the grammar as introduced in the relevant textbook ('Reading Latin'), including most of the important forms of Latin verbs and nouns;
- continuing to build a 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.
Machine-marked tests will be offered on Canvas to help students revise new material on a regular basis and prepare them for the in-class test of the following week.

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 are present in Newcastle for the entire year including assessment periods and have completed CLA1001 or have an equivalent level of language competence in Latin.

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

General Notes

N/A