Latin 23
 
Intermediate Latin I
Spring 2002

INSTRUCTOR: Robert W. Cape, Jr., Associate Professor of Classics
OFFICE:     AD 310       PHONE: x2241       MAIL: 61653       EMAIL: rcape@austincollege.edu
OFFICE HOURS: 12:30-1:30 p.m. MF, 10:00-11:00 a.m. W, & by appointment 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 (1999-2002)   [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.
  • D. P. Simpson. Cassell's Latin Dictionary. New York: Macmillan, 1977 [1959].

    OBJECTIVES:

    Latin 23 is third in the sequence of elementary and intermediate language courses and will build on skills developed in Latin 12. 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.

    These are broad goals that are processes rather than endpoints in an educational curriculum. In order to realize them in a manner appropriate to the first intermediate Latin course, students will need 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 uses of adjectives 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 may involve simple and, occasionally, complex subordination. They 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. have a good acquaintance with Roman culture at the time of Augustus.

    It is expected that each student will achieve these objectives at his or her own level, depending on individual time, energy, and commitment to learning the material.

    Attendance and Participation:

    Because this is a performance class, regular attendance is required of all students. Students are expected to be prepared for and to participate actively in every class. Lack of preparation is no excuse for not participating. Since learning a language is a sequential process and any class sessions or homework missed can seriously affect future performance, only three absences will be allowed. Each absence after the third will lower the total grade by three percentage points. With seven absences a student 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. Students are responsible for finding out what the homework assignment is if they have missed a class. Homework, quizzes and exams missed during an absence cannot be made up except under exceptional circumstances.

    A short, 10-15 minute quiz will be given approximately every week. These quizzes are meant to help students review material recently covered and serve as diagnostic instruments to indicate how well they are progressing in discrete areas of grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension. The midterm and final are comprehensive exams which measure the student's 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, Wednesday, May 15, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. 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. [See The Environment, 2001-02, pp. 21-22.]

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