Latin 201
 
Intermediate Latin I
Fall 2012

INSTRUCTOR: Robert W. Cape, Jr., Professor of Classics
OFFICE:     AD 310       PHONE: x2241       MAIL: 61653       EMAIL: rcape@austincollege.edu
OFFICE HOURS:   M 4:30 -5:30, T 1:30 - 2:30, WF 4:30 - 5:00 post meridiem & by appt. or just dropping by.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
  • Maurice Balm and James Morwood. Oxford Latin Course, Part III. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
  • Robert W. Cape, Jr., Internet Workbook for the Oxford Latin Course (1999-2003)   [http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/cml/rcape/latin/index.html]
    • RECOMMENDED TEXTS:
  • R. E. Prior and J. Wohlberg. 501 Latin Verbs. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron's Educational, 1995.

    • PURPOSE AND GOALS:

    Latin 201 is third in the sequence of elementary and intermediate language courses and builds on the skills you developed in Latin 102. Our goals are to enhance our ability to read Latin with precision and understanding, and to appreciate Latin as a transmitter of ideas and culture. Since learning a language provides the foundation for understanding a culture, we will discuss many aspects of Roman life and society in the context of our readings.

    The goals for this course are broad and represent processes rather than endpoints in an educational curriculum. In order to realize them in a manner appropriate to the first intermediate Latin course, you will be challenged to develop and demonstrate the following skills, abilities and knowledge:

    1. knowledge of all noun declensions and major pronouns, and solid understanding of the main of functions of cases, with and without prepositions;
    2. knowledge of all regular adjective forms, and understanding of adjective usage and the principle of agreement;
    3. knowledge of verb forms in all tenses, active and passive voice, indicative, subjunctive, and infinitive moods, in the regular conjugations and irregular conjugations, such as sum and volo. Understanding of the functions of person, number, tense, voice, and mood, and the main uses of verbs;
    4. ability to read consistently with good understanding simple connected texts dealing with a variety of basic issues in Roman society. Such texts are beginning to become more linguistically complex and may even be lightly adapted versions of ancient texts. Sentences will involve simple and complex subordination and will impart basic information about which the reader has to make minimal suppositions;
    5. ability to write simple fixed expressions and limited memorized material and some recombinations thereof;
    6. knowledge about Roman culture at the time of Augustus.

    Undoubtedly you will achieve these objectives at your own level, depending on your commitment and the amount of time and energy you dedicate to learning the material. The instructor is committed to helping you learn and will be glad to meet you to review, to do additional exercises, and to help you develop the skills and techniques that work best for you to learn Latin.

    As you can see, you will learn more in Latin 201 than, simply, Latin grammar and how to translate. If you are joining the course after taking Latin at another college or from a high school where grammar/translation was emphasized, please be sure to contact the instructor early in the course so he can help you make the transition to the reading/comprehension emphasis we employ.

    Attendance and Participation:

    Latin 201 is a performance class and regular attendance is required of all students. You are expected to be prepared for and to participate actively in every class. Likewise, you have the right to expect that the instructor will be present and prepared for class. Lack of preparation is no excuse for not attending class. Since learning a language is a sequential process and any class sessions or homework missed can seriously affect future performance, only three (3) absences will be allowed. Each absence after the third will lower the total grade by three (3) percentage points. With seven (7) absences you may be dropped from the course.

    Assignments and Grading:

    Homework assignments are given daily for the next day's class. These are to be completed prior to the class meeting and will be the basis for that day's participation. In addition, about once a week there will be a written homework assignment to be turned in at the beginning of class. You are responsible for finding out what the homework assignment is if you have missed a class. Homework, quizzes and exams missed during an absence cannot be made up except under exceptional circumstances.

    A short, 10 minute quiz will be given every week. These quizzes are meant to help you review material recently covered and serve as diagnostic instruments to indicate how well you are progressing in discrete areas of grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension. The midterm and final are comprehensive exams which measure your total progress at specific points in the course. The midterm will be given during the sixth or seventh week of class; the exact date will be announced at least two weeks in advance. The final will be given at the regularly scheduled time, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Thursday, December 13. The midterm and final may include "take-home" sections.

    Grade percentages:
    weekly quizzes 35%
    written homework 10%
    attendance and participation 15%
    midterm 20%
    final 20%

    Austin College's Standards of Academic Integrity are assumed to apply to your work for this course. The Academic Integrity Policy can be found in the "Student Conduct" section of The Environment: Austin College Student Handbook 2012-2013 (http://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Environment-2012-2013.pdf). You are encouraged to work with others on homework and in studying for quizzes and exams. Homework may reflect work done in a group, but should not be merely copied from someone else. All work on quizzes, the midterm and final must be your own. Infringements of the Academic Integrity Policy may result in failing grades on assignments, for the course, or removal from the course.

    Austin College seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities and will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines. It is the responsibility of the student to register with and provide verification of academic accommodation needs to the Director of the Academic Skills Center as soon as possible. The student also must contact the faculty member in a timely manner to arrange for reasonable academic accommodations. For further information regarding disability services or to register for assistance, please contact the office at 903-813-2454 or visit the Academic Skills Center. For additional information, see the Center's web pages, http://www.austincollege.edu/campus-life/academic-skills-center/disability-services/.

    Access to grades and some assignments will be available through Austin College's Moodle [http://moodle.austincollege.edu/]

    [Bob Cape's Homepage] [Classical and Modern Languages]
    Robert W. Cape, Jr., Professor of Classics
    Classical & Modern Languages
    900 N. Grand Avenue, Suite 61653
    Sherman, TX 75090-4440
    phone: (903) 813-2241 fax: (903) 813-2011  

     

    AustinCollege

    Mail comments to rcape@austincollege.edu