The First Cultural Language of Europe (CJP/LATJA)

NOTICE: The validity of the information on this page has expired.


  • 6 credits
  • Lecturer: Mgr. Ivona Cindlerová
  • Lessons (Lectures + Workshops + Seminars): 0 + 2 + 0 (hours/week)
  • Semester: Winter or Summer
  • Language requirements: B1
  • Teaching techniques: presentations, skimming, scanning, text analyses, linguistic comparisons, etymological insight, fieldwork
  • Exam registration: written application
  • Exam format. Text analysis
  • Course status: C

Course Description:

The course will make students familiar with basic grammar structures of the Latin language, most important links between Latin on the one hand, and Romance languages and English on the other, Ancient Greek and Roman mythology in literature art and music. Also, the course will raise students´ awareness of ancient heritage around us.

Course Objectives:

The students will be able to translate simple texts from Latin to their native languages.
They will be able to recognize vocabulary of Old Greek and Latin roots.
They will get acquainted with best known ancient myths.
They will become aware of traces of the oldest European civilizations around us.

Structure and Content:

  1. Once upon a time... – introduction to the oldest European civilizations.
  2. Latin is here, Latin is there, Latin is everywhere – Latin roots in today´s professional lexis.
  3. Basic structures of the Latin language.
  4. Latin grammar in use.
  5. Text analysis of simple Latin texts.
  6. Translation techniques.
  7. Latin – mother of Romance languages.
  8. What Latin and English have in common (lingua franca).
  9. Cicero could read current English newspapers.
  10. Ancient mythology in literature.
  11. Ancient mythology in the fine arts.
  12. Ancient mythology in music.
  13. Ancient Greeks and Romans still live with us.

Literature:

  • ORBERG, Hans H., Lingua Latina per se illustrata, pars I, Denmark: Domus Latina 2007

Notes:

Active participation in class (80 %).
Fieldwork - ancient heritage around us (statues, architecture, museums, theatre performances).
Self-study (libraries, the Internet).
Writing an essay on a given theme.


Updated: 18. 11. 2022