History Of The Latin Language
Latin is one of the oldest languages in the world. First scriptures written in the Latin language can be traced back to 75 BC. The Latin language originated and got its name from the region of Latium in the old Roman Empire. In the old days, Latin was considered the language of scholars and educated people. The old Latin was different from the modern versions of Latin. The alphabets of old Latin were derived from Etruscan alphabets and was written from right to left. However, with time the writing has changed from left to right script.
Interesting Facts About The Latin Language
Latin Literature: Ancient literature written in the Latin language is considered as the best literature in the world.
Importance Of Latin In The Vatican City The Vatican City does not have an official language however Latin holds a lot of importance in the Vatican.
An Influencer: As Latin is such an old language, it is responsible for influencing several modern world languages. A lot of words in the English language are either taken from or influenced by the Latin language.
The Origin of Latin Alphabets: Most of the alphabets of the Latin Language we see today have been derived from the Greek Language, the old italic languages and Phoenicians.
Uses In The Modern World: Words from the Latin language are used in naming new species of animals and plants. Latin words are also used in the field of Law. You can also find unique Latin quotes written on the buildings of colleges and universities.
Types Of Latin Languages: The Latin language we see today has changed a lot from the old Latin language. In the old days, the Latin language was divided into two types i.e. Classical Latin and Vulgar Latin. Classical Latin was spoken by the scholars and educated people while Vulgar Latin was spoken by the normal public.
Romance Languages: We have already established that the Latin language has influenced many modern languages. The languages that have been derived from Latin are known as romance languages. These languages are mostly derived from Vulgar Latin. The most prominent romance languages include Romanian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.
Speakers: There are very few people in the modern world who can speak and converse fluently in the Latin language however due to the fact that some schools teach Latin to their students, there are a few million people who can read or understand the language to some extent.
Latin Language And Time: We all use words from the Latin language on a daily basis. When someone asks you the time and you tell them it is 4 PM, you are actually saying it is 4 Post Meridiem which means after midday. The same way AM means Ante Meridiem which means before midday. Both Ante Meridiem and post Meridiem are Latin words.
Scripts: Unlike other old languages like Hebrew or Arabic, The Latin Language follows a left to right script.
Dead Language: Latin is considered as a dead language which means that it cannot be altered and new words cannot be added to the Latin vocabulary. The living languages for example English is an ever changing language. Old English is remarkably different from modern English. New words are added to the English language every year however the same cannot be said about the Latin language. The Latin language did transform and alter when it was a living language however it cannot see any alteration anymore.
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