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Medieval Latin Language and Cultures: Beginner - LFA00236L

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  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Module co-ordinator: Information currently unavailable
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: F
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module summary

This module introduces students to the basic principles of Latin grammar, so that they are able to translate some simple primary source material by the end of the course (e.g. inscriptions and short texts). Students will also be introduced to elements of medieval life in order to develop an understanding of the culture in which Medieval Latin literature was produced.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24
B Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

This module will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to examine and interpret a range of Medieval Latin documents over the course of a semester, and develop a comprehensive knowledge of Latin translation skills at beginner level.

Students will engage, individually and in groups, in comprehension activities and tasks emphasising three core research skills:

  1. reception activities (reading comprehension);

  2. production activities (prose composition);

  3. analytical activities (cultural context & literary style).

The medium of instruction are English and Latin.

Module learning outcomes

  • The ability to recognise and employ core Latin vocabulary, as well as an appreciation of the basics of Latin morphology and the historical relationship between the Latin and English languages.

  • The ability to understand and deploy the basic principles of Latin grammar and syntax, in order to engage with and interpret a range of Latin source material.

  • The ability to compose short sentences in Latin on a variety of topics, in order to support and develop grammatical learning.

  • An understanding of the Middle Ages culture and literature, which enables the student to critically evaluate a range of source material in relation to the religion, politics and culture of the society in which it was created.

Module content

Translation Passages

For the first few weeks of the module, translation passages will comprise some short passages, mostly taken from medieval authors. Students will then progress onto longer, yet basic, passages of Medieval Latin; these will include:

  • Medieval dialogues between a master and his student
  • Brief narrative passages from Medieval Latin texts, including well known Biblical passages, fables and chronicles.
  • Original Medieval documentary Latin texts including wills and charters.

Grammar topics at Beginners Level:

  • The Latin case system
  • Nouns (groups 1-3)
  • Adjectives (groups 1-3, plus comparative and superlative adjectives)
  • Prepositions
  • Indicative Active Verb Tenses: Present, Future, Imperfect, Perfect and Pluperfect
  • An introduction to some irregular Latin verbs (e.g. eo, esse, & possum)

Seminars will include a range of different exercises including both translation (Latin to English) and prose composition (English to Latin) to help explain and build grammatical knowledge, with plenty of opportunities for revision as the semester progresses.

Latin Culture: An Introduction to Eboracum

The course will provide students with an interdisciplinary introduction to Medieval York: Eboracum, from the early eighth century to the fifteenth century. From the conversion of King Edwin to Christianity in 627, Northumbria saw the development of a learned culture achieved first by monastic houses such as Whitby, Jarrow and Lindisfarne. Eboracum, first as the capital of the Kingdom of Northumbria and then as the second most important city in medieval England, was at the centre of production and dissemination of literary texts, written in Latin. This module will provide an interdisciplinary study to explore the history, history of art, literature and archaeology of medieval York in order to assess how Eboracum helped shape the culture of Medieval England from the early to the late Middle Ages.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled)
Medieval Latin Language and Cultures: Beginner		 2 hours 60
Essay/coursework
Medieval Latin Language and Cultures: Beginner: Essay		 N/A 40

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

None

Module feedback

Weekly feedback, both oral and written, on translations.

Feedback on exam: as per University regulations.

On essays: Written feedback, as per University regulations.

Indicative reading

There is no text book for this module. All materials will be provided during the course.

You will need to have access to a Latin dictionary. Should you wish to purchase a paper dictionary, the following works are recommended for this course:

Collins Latin Dictionary and Grammar 2nd ed. (Glasgow: Collins, 2016)

C.T. Lewis, An Elementary Latin Dictionary (Oxford: OUP, 1963)

D.P. Simpson, Cassell’s Standard Latin Dictionary: Latin/English, English/Latin (London: John Wiley & Sons, 1959; rev. ed. 1977)

If you do decide to purchase a copy of Cassell’s, second-hand copies are available via online retailers; however, please make sure that you buy the full-length version (around 890 pages) rather than the abbreviated version, which, quite frankly, is a waste of money.

Please note that there is no need to buy a dictionary, as you can access a number of academic Latin dictionaries online for free. One particularly useful volume is:

  • Lewis and Short, A Latin Dictionary (Oxford: OUP, 1879; reissued 1963)

This work is now available via: http://logeion.uchicago.edu


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.