21 02 2007
since yesterday i've been learning latin. it's sort of confusing but i like it. in the book, which is very old, falling apart, and printed in 1926, they add stuff in it about what words we use in english come from latin words and how different they are when you say them in english instead of latin and stuff like that. it's very cool. 
i'm finding it's easier than french. i couldn't remember much of that very well and this is just much easier. nobody uses it but i'm liking it alot.
Well, nobody uses it for all day, everyday conversation. But Latin is the language of science - medicine, plants and animals - and of law.
One of my online friends lives in Sweden. We have different local names for plants, but we can both refer to Latin names to be sure we understand what the other is thinking.
Here’s one you’ll hear at the doc’s: -itis. It means infected or inflamed.
Appendicitis - inflamed appendix
Bronchitis - inflamed bronchi (the tubes at the top of the lungs)
Conjunctivitis - inflamed conjunctiva (the white of the eye) which we call pink eye
Learning roots helps you decipher words you haven’t seen before, but know their parts. I encountered circumambulate and was able to figure out its meaning. You can, too. What other words have those pieces?
Now, go smirk and grumble to your mom that her friend is giving you assignments.
P.S. My dad was also “printed” in 1926.
Well, the good thing about old books on topics like Latin, is they don’t really get outdated.
My kids are taking a Latin class once a week, and I keep snatching their book so I can keep up with them! I took three years of French in high school, and the kids and I are also slowly working on Spanish - and it is amazing how many Spanish/French words have Latin roots!