Latin, as everyone knows, is a dead language. Or is it?
Reports of its demise in the modern world are greatly exaggerated,
says Anthony Barrett, head of UBC’s Dept. of Classical, Near Eastern
and Religious Studies, who points out that Latin still survives
in pockets all over the world.
For example, a short-wave radio station in Finland broadcasts the
news in Latin, and the Internet has a Latin speakers group where
any topic can be discussed, as long as it is in Latin.
Recently, protesting students in Belgrade sent a worldwide appeal
in Latin over the Internet, seeking moral support for their cause.
In the central African country of Malawi, former president Hastings
Banda was so keen on the classics he started special Latin classes
in his nation’s schools.
And, of course, Latin is taught in universities around the world,
including UBC.
“It is a subject which encourages an almost fanatical following,”
Barrett says.
First-year Latin is so popular that his department, which also
offers courses in Greek, Hebrew and classical Arabic, has even had
to restrict enrolment to a quota of 100 students.
Barrett notes that not all Latin students are, as some might suspect,
of European background. In fact, the classes are very diverse. Of
the five students in Barrett’s senior class, three are of Asian
heritage.
Another sign of the continued relevance of the language is the
number of calls the department receives from members of the public
seeking translation, both to and from Latin.
“We must get a call every other day on average,” says Barrett.
Faculty members provide the translation as a public service, although
they will ask for a small donation to a student scholarship fund
if it requires more time.
The requests range from translations of old British legal documents
to how to say `Happy Christmas’ in Latin. Others want Latin inscriptions
for tombstones.
The department does a brisk trade in Latin mottoes. It seems that
when a new club or society is formed one of the first orders of
business is acquiring a Latin motto. Barrett did one for a group
of plane crash survivors who founded a society.
“Usually, they want a snappy motto, but request that it say a great
deal. A school in Fort Nelson told us they wanted a motto that said
`We believe in education and have faith in the North.’ But they
wanted it said in three words!”
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