May 28, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR KRIS MOODY IN NH
Hi Kate! It is really exciting for me to read a note from someone who
is a Latin scholar! I also studied Latin from 8th grade, all through high
school and for a few semesters in college. I don't know about you, but I
really loved Latin. I even considered the possibility of majoring in Latin
in college. But my love for math and science ended up taking me in that
direction instead. I have always felt lucky to think that there are a
variety of things that create in me a desire to learn more. So, for me,
studying Latin was purely for the love of it. However, I must say, I truly
believe that Latin gave me many skills and much knowledge that I would not
have had without it. Yes, Latin definitely helped me with my SATs, which I
assume helped me get into the school of my choice. I'm convinced that the
vast majority of my knowledge of the English language came from learning
Latin (no offense to my English teachers.) But I definitely learned things
like parts of speech and iambic pentameter and loads of other things from
Latin, not to mention word derivation. I even speak better because of
Latin. And I don't know if it has anything to do with Latin or not, but I
have a great love for reading and writing, and sometimes I wonder what the
connection is between my math/equations part of my brain and my
language/words part of my brain. (I am a computer chip designer.) I
mentioned this to my former Latin teacher once (we still e-mail each other
on rare occasions) and she said she thinks that some people like words
because they are something like the little pieces that make up computer
chips. Minds are kind of like computers, and sentences are kind of like
equations. Patterns and rules and learning tie everything together. For
example, if one hears "And then I..." one knows immediately to expect a
verb, and so on. It's pretty amazing. I'm not sure I answered your
question. All I can say is that I think the study of Latin played a key
role in my growth and learning development, as well as helping me with such
things as SATs and basic language skills. Plus, there's nothing quite like
reading the words of ancient Romans in their own language.
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A: FROM MENTOR SUSAN MODESITT IN KY
Kate,
If you really like Latin and want to continue to study it, I would go for
it. If you are only taking it to score better on a test or for a medical
career, it is really not worth the effort. As an MD, knowledge of Latin
isn't necessary. If you had to choose a language, Spanish would be the most
useful in your day to day interactions with patients. French (and I took 6
years in middle school and high school) hasn't helped me at all except for
my one trip to Paris.
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A: FROM MENTOR KATHERINE DRENNON IN KY
Kate, first I would like to commend you for taking Latin. Many high schools do not offer it because not enough students are interested in it, and many of the ones who do offer it are phasing it out. I took Latin in high school and in college, and really enjoyed learning about the Roman culture through my study.
As for whether it would be worth taking for your future medical career, I would have to say potentially. The benefit of taking Latin is that it helps you understand the root words that much of the medical terminology is based on. For instance, one who had not taken Latin wouldn't necessarily know that hepatocytes are liver cell, since hepato- is derived from the Latin word for liver. This could greatly help you with the extensive memorization of anatomy and physiology, and also spills over into some pharmaceuticals.
But whether it is worth cramming into your summer schedule, which already sounds like it will be busy, that is something you will have to decide for yourself. On the pro side, if you continue taking Latin, and you take an Advanced Placement class, you could earn college credit for it. Many college curriculums require a year, sometimes two years, of a foreign language. That could really put you ahead of the game. On the con side, you don't want to overburden yourself, especially if you have a full summer already planned out. Classes move much faster in the summer since you only have ~16 weeks instead of a whole school year (~36 weeks).
I had to make this choice too, as when I took my third year of Latin, which was AP Latin, I registered for the class, but I was the only one. I had to write a letter to the principal asking him to allow me to take the class anyway (since the teacher was willing to work with me), and he allowed me, but I had to go to class an hour early three times a week and take a study hall exclusively for Latin study. Given the choice, I wouldn't have changed a thing, but that is something you will have to decide for yourself.