Should I Study Latin?

Latin is dead. No one speaks it as a first language and even as an intellectual language, it is fallen from report. Few brush among the ancient volumes. Virgil and Cicero used to be household names not long ago. Despite its dusty apparel there are many vital reasons that Latin should be studied and mastered. Latin is integral to a solid education. Therefore this list is the top seven reasons to study Latin:

1. The founding fathers (not just America's Founders) read Latin

I know that just because the founding fathers wanted to read Latin 

doesn't mean that we should. Yet there was something that they had that we don't, they were wise and versed in history. although Latin was dead in their day, they saw value in it. should We?

2. The language doesn't change

Latin is to silver as Language is to currency. Latin and silver both retain their value. they do not change, they do not fluctuate. Language and currency both change. they both have a habit of flowing down hill. language degrades and currency inflates. Latin, being unchanging, means its the most mathematical language. A word means the same thing it has always meant and the grammar has ever permanent rules. 

3. It helps you branch out to other Western languages 

Italy, France, Spain, and England all spoke Latin at one point. 40% of the words in english are derived from Latin. Sometimes when you read a foreign language, one notices a similarity between the two. in Spanish the word for door is Puerta. We have a similar word: port (a door)  where ships come in. The reason for this similarity is the existence of a common ancestor. If you can learn the shape of the trunk, the branches come easier. 

4. It opens the doors to reading ancient texts

There is a trove of wisdom written in books that have to be read to us by translators. There are many things no one bothers to translate at all. Nothing beats reading a text in its original language. 

5. Improves your ability to think critically

learning any language will help this. Knowing where words come from helps you think where and how to use them. Should I say a wizard is arcane? or should I say he was mystical? arcane is derived from latin and mystical is derived from Greek. They both have similar meanings, but precision is key in rhetoric.

6. Increased persuasion in language and speech 

This point goes along with the last. If you know how to speak and write, you know how to persuade, giving you the power to achieve your ends. Take the sentence I just used for example. if I said, power to get what you want, it would have sounded greedy. I wanted to avoid that so that the thought would be focused on persuasion itself and not motives. 

7. An ace in the hole, keep things secret 

Knowing Latin is like knowing a secret language. It enables one to communicate more covertly. If any one has ever tried to read your diary, you might have liked knowing Latin, it would have spared a lot of embarrassment. 

There, seven reasons why Latin is good to study. What do you think about studying Latin? is it useful? comment below with a reason why!