Unit information: Latin Language Level B1 in 2011/12

Unit name	Latin Language Level B1
Unit code	CLAS22307
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Hitch
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Latin Language Level A1 and A2, or equivalent
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Classics & Ancient History
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

The aim of this unit is to develop and reinforce students' skills in the independent critical reading of Latin literary texts. In the unit, you will read selections from Ovid's Heroides (covering 600 lines in Latin and the remainder in English translation). Grammatical and syntactical knowledge of Latin will be revised and reinforced. You will also develop a range of key skills for the reading and literary analysis of Latin texts, including the independent use of commentaries and dictionaries (in particular, the Oxford Latin Dictionary), and contemporary theoretical perspectives relevant to the interpretation of Ovid's poem.

Aims:

To develop students’ knowledge of the Latin language through the reading of classical Latin prose; to introduce students to techniques of independent reading of Latin, such as use of dictionaries and commentaries; to introduce students to issues of translation and interpretation of Latin literature.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will have developed and consolidated their knowledge of the Latin language and will have developed their skills of advanced independent reading of Latin texts. They will have acquired knowledge in the use of dictionaries and commentaries, and will be able to relate this knowledge to their understanding and interpretation of a Latin text. In addition, second year students will be expected to have developed more sophisticated analytical skills, as demonstrated in their formal assessments and in their participation in seminar discussions.

Teaching Information

Lectures, seminars and reading classes, grammatical instruction classes

Assessment Information

2 practical criticism exercises on a designated passage of 35-40 lines of set text, with guidance questions; weighted equally to count for 50%.

4 class tests of 45 minutes each:

1 on sight translation and grammatical analysis, undertaken with use of a dictionary;

1 on set text translation and literary comments, undertaken without reference books;

weighted equally to count for 50%.

Reading and References

• Livy Book 1, edited with notes by H.E. Gould and J.L. Whiteley, Bristol Classical Press

• C.T. Lewis Elementary Latin Dictionary Oxford

• J. Morwood Latin Grammar Oxford

• J. Wilson and C. Parsons A Basic Latin Vocabulary Bristol