LfA Medieval Latin Elementary - LFA00271L
Module summary
This module allows students to reinforce their knowledge of the basic principles of Latin grammar, as well as building on that knowledge through an introduction to some of Latin’s complex sentence constructions. By the end of the course, students will be able to translate a range of primary source material (e.g. short texts from documentary Latin and prose such as chronicles and fables). Students will also be introduced to elements of Medieval Northumbria culture, in order to develop an understanding of the culture in which the texts they are studying were produced.
Related modules
LfA Medieval Latin Beginner / Medieval Latin: Beginner or equivalent.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2023-24 to 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 year, and develop a comprehensive knowledge of Latin translation skills at elementary level.
Students will engage, individually and in groups, in comprehension activities and tasks emphasising three core research skills:
- reception activities (reading comprehension);
- production activities (prose composition);
- analytical activities (cultural context & literary style).
The mediums of instruction are English and Latin.
Module learning outcomes
- The ability to recognise and employ a range of both basic and more specialised Latin vocabulary, as well as a heightened appreciation of the basics of Latin morphology and the historical relationship between the Latin and English languages.
- The ability to understand and deploy both the basic principles of Latin grammar and syntax, as well as some complex sentence constructions in order to engage with and interpret a range of Latin source material.
- The ability to compose sentences from English into Latin that incorporate a range of both basic and complex syntactical constructions, in order to support and develop grammatical learning.
- An understanding of Medieval Northumbria culture and literature, which enables the student to critically evaluate a range of source material in relation to the 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, basic sentences (many of which will be taken from Medieval authors). Students will then progress onto short paragraphs of Latin, which will include:
- Complex documentary Latin
- Chronicles,
- Fables
- Hagiography
- Sermon exempla
Grammar topics at Elementary Level:
- A review of the grammar covered at Beginners level (nouns, adjectives and active verbs etc.)
- Group 4 & 5 nouns
- The formation and use of the future perfect tense
- Pronouns (demonstrative, personal and relative)
- Passive and deponent verbs (all tenses)
- The formation and use of participles (present, past and future)
- The formation and use of the ablative absolute
- Indirect statements
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.
Medieval Latin Culture: Kings and Monks of Northumbria
The course will provide students with an interdisciplinary introduction to the political and religious backdrop against which Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People was written. By integrating historical, artistic and literary evidence, this module will explore the lives and deeds of the three Northumbrian kings (Edwin, Oswald and Oswiu) who became overlords of all England. In addition, the module will deal with the foundations, under royal patronage, of major monastic houses. Through the work of notorious monks and kings, the history of Early Medieval Northumbria will come to light. Moreover, by examining surviving illuminated manuscripts, the lives of monks and nuns, and the practices of Northumbrian scriptoria, will be uncovered.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Departmental - attendance requirement | 100 |
Special assessment rules
Pass/fail & Non-reassessable
Additional assessment information
The course is non-assessed but students will receive an LfA Certificate of Completion if they participate in at least 13 sessions out of 18.
Indicative reassessment
None
Module feedback
Regular homework tasks will provide opportunities for ongoing feedback on progress.
In addition, students will have the opportunity to complete coursework. Its purpose is not to provide a summative assessment of students’ performance but to provide the basis for relevant tutor’s feedback and feedforward.
Indicative reading
Course materials and guided readings will be provided by the module convenors via the VLE at the start of the year.