From Puella to Plautus

Book excerpt: Whether to enlarge your general education, improve your English, or just because you are curious about the society that has had such a lasting influence on our history, our language, our thoughts, and our culture, you should and can learn Latin. Tamara Trykar-Lu's charming and delightful introduction to Latin, From Puella to Plautus, Part I, is designed for beginning to intermediate Latin study, at the high school or college level, either with the aid of a teacher and classroom or simply for personal enjoyment and enrichment. A thorough review of English grammar with detailed explanations makes it easy for the reader to grasp new concepts in Latin. Learning Latin vocabulary becomes manageable once you realize how much ‘Latin’ vocabulary there is in English. You will quickly learn to read Latin with short stories and, gradually, more demanding selections. Readers will translate the story of Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome, but also the tale of Nivea -- Snow White -- and some parts of Shakespeare's plays. Short sections show how English developed, how Latin influenced it, and where they both belong in the world of languages. Each chapter ends with a brief outline of some aspect of Roman culture, such as housing, fauna and flora, games, crafts, water supply, and cooking – with recipes. And last but not least there are informative tidbits, drawings, cartoons, jokes, riddles, crossword puzzles, and, of course, pictures distributed throughout the book. For while foreign-language study should be logical, coherent, and rigorous, it need not be heavy-handed or pedantic, and certainly not dull. Ideal for use in courses or for brushing up your language skills, From Puella to Plautus is a lively and engaging book about the Latin language and life in the Roman Empire.