Oxford Latin Course, Part I

by Maurice Balme, James Morwood

Designed for North American students, this special version of the Oxford Latin Course combines the best features of both modern and traditional methods of Latin teaching, providing an exciting, stimulating introduction and approach to Latin based on the reading of original texts.
In this four volume North American edition, the order of declensions corresponds to customary U.S. usage, and the spelling has been Americanized. In addition, it offers full color illustrations and photographs throughout Parts I and II and an expanded Teacher's Book with translations for each part. Parts I III (now available in hardcover editions) are built around a narrative detailing the life of Horace, now based more closely on historical sources, which helps students to get to know real Romans with their daily activities, concerns, and habits and to develop an understanding of Roman civilization during the time of Cicero and Augustus. Part IV (paperback) is a reader consisting of extracts from Caesar, Cicero, Catullus, Virgil, Livy, and Ovid.
The second edition of the Oxford Latin Course has been carefully designed to maximize student interest, understanding, and competence. It features a clearer presentation of grammar, revised narrative passages, new background sections, more emphasis on daily life and on the role of women, a greater number and variety of exercises, and review chapters and tests. Each chapter opens with a set of cartoons with Latin captions that illustrate new grammar points. A Latin reading follows, with new vocabulary highlighted in the margins and follow up exercises that focus on reading comprehension and grammatical analysis. A background essay in English concludes each chapter. Covering a variety of topics from history to food, from slavery to travel, these engaging essays present a well rounded picture of Augustan Rome.
The Oxford Latin Course, Second Edition offers today's students and teachers an exceptionally engaging and attractive introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Rome one that builds skills effectively and is exciting to use.

Genres: Language, Reference, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Classics, Education, History

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a crap way to learn Latin. Just reread this 25 years after being assigned it in college. No wonder I was such a lackluster classics major. Just looking at these stupid fucking pictures makes me angry.

[Gerrit G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

In general an 'okaish' introduction to Latin, it's supposed to be one semester. There are 16 chapters, each of which has 4 intro phrases, which show new grammatical structures, a block of vocabulary, two texts with additional marginilia that contains words, and a plain English text which sheds light on the back story of the Roman people. One text you are supposed to answer questions for, the other one you are supposed to translate. Additionally, for each chapter there is a grammar chapter + exercises. In the end you find a short grammar appendix and some story about Cicero (in Latin).

In total, you learn like 400-800 words, the first 3 Declensions for nomina/adjectives, many conjunctions, and most of the pronouns. However, you only work with the present tense and ind./imperative mood of the verbs, which is a bit thin. Compared with Hans Osborn's "Lingva Latina: Per se illustrata", where you learn passive voice and AcI fairly early, which easens the burden later.

The thing I have is that the vocabulary makes it very steep and you learn almost no grammar, for me most of the grammar did not stuck even though I've used this memrise list: https://decks.memrise.com/course/6994...

I'd have given it 3 stars, but questions such as "Trace the map above and on your copy mark Hannibal's route... Do you admire Hannibal? Give reasons for your answer." make it a bit infantile. What's next: "Explain how sexist it is, that there were no female Elephants crossing the Alps. Is it racist that blacks wuz losing them punic wars?".

Just go with the Lingva Latina: Per se illustrata material with the provided additional material, it simply cannot be beaten imo

[Rick Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this approach to learning Latin. It combines the traditional method with an emphasis on learning to read Latin naturally.

[raya · Rating 5 out of 5]

drawings are a 10/10
quintus's character development is top tier

[Eugenio Fouz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Latin handbook quite easy to understand. The book provides Latin texts, chapters dedicated to the life in Ancient Rome, vocabulary in every lesson and a glossary of Latin words and their meaning in both English and Latin.
I found the appendix on grammar pretty useful.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for a G/T textbook, with some oral Latin and "think in Latin" too. The highlight is the well thought out cultural bits. Connected to the story - I sometimes use them to supplement Orberg.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book eases you into simple concepts that will prove invaluable later on. Great illustrations and a wide range of practical exercises. You can teach yourself beginner's Latin with this.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is approachable and gives simple explanations of Latin grammar. The authors introduce verbs in a way that allows the student to read their Latin stories early on; they do this by giving only the third-person singular present tense (e.g., "he sees") in the first chapters. Later they present verbs in their first-person singular present tense with their infinitives, as is more conventional for Latin. However, because they don't give the four principal parts of verbs from the start, the student must in a sense re-learn the verbs later in the other books in the course.

Another landmark Latin textbook is Wheelock's Latin.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting, and what was used in my ten week college course. It would have been better however to have stuck to a traditional text like Wheelocks. The Oxford would be perfect for junior high/high school as long as the instructor insists right away on memorization memorization memorization...

[Darren · Rating 3 out of 5]

My university first-year Latin textbook.