Why Study Latin?
- “Latin prepares students for several important professions that are steeped in Latin or English words derived from Latin. These include law, medicine, science, music, theology, philosophy, art, and literature.”
– “10 Reasons to Study Latin“ - “Latin is the best preparation for learning a Romance language, or any language. Once you really understand how language works, the task of learning a new language will be more than cut in half.”
– “Top 10 Reasons for Studying Latin“ - “You should study Latin if you have a serious interest in ancient or medieval history, since prestigious graduate programs in these fields require their students to do research in Latin.”
– “Why Study Latin?” - “Its grammatical framework promotes precise analysis and logical thinking, as well as enhanced reading and writing skills with greater precision in expression.”
– “How Relevant is Latin in the Modern World?”
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News & Updates
Historia Scholastica
Historia Scholastica Project Overview, 2019
– Karen Wadley, Project Director
The Historia Scholastica Project (“HSP”) is the ongoing transcription and translation of Boise State University’s 547 year-old copy of Peter Comestor’s Historia Scholastica. HSP was designed to give second and third-year Latin students hands-on experience transcribing original Latin and to make the medieval text accessible to Boise State scholars and students. A third and crucial aspect of HSP centers on the comparison of the Boise State Text with extant and easily accessible publications, such as Harvard’s Patrilogia Latina 198, the 1543 Lugdenensis (Lyons) copy accessible through Wikimedia Commons, and the Iowa copy owned by the University of Iowa.
Begun in Fall 2011, HSP has since matured into an umbrella project housing six ongoing and two completed transcription and translation sections. Participants now include community partners as well as Upper Division Latin students while the Project itself hosts an additional project, iHSP, which prepares finished translations for distribution as e-Books. The first of these single-volume e-Books is currently undergoing preparations for publication through iTunesU.
At its core, HSP promotes student research and endeavours to connect student researchers with academics in the fields of History, Languages and Gender Theory. As one of the most popular books of its time, translated into multiple languages and used as one of the leading European university textbooks for centuries, Comestor’s Historia Scholastica promises broad application for Social Studies and the Humanities. As HSP progresses through its current and future stages, it will bring the commentaries and research of faculty and students in disciplines other than Latin together with the sections transcribed and translated by Latin students in a truly multidisciplinary, digital publication series.
Video: HSP Documentary
Historia Scholastica: Student Work
Experience Latin Culture & Language Abroad
The Department of World Languages encourages students who wish to acquire proficiency at a “professional” level to spend time in a region whose language they are studying. Programs available through the Office of Global Learning Opportunities give students a chance to master a language and learn more about culture and customs, often while studying at foreign universities and living with local families.