Originally posted by R. Scott Clark
Originally posted by Saiph
I have the "Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin" by John Collins. But, there are no answers to the excercises so I can check my work.
Is Wheelock's good enough ?
Collins is good, though he assumes more knowledge than he should have. Doubtless he was used to well-taught students with RC educations. He also assumes a teacher to correct the exercises (I just finished grading exams on ch's 8-10 for some students).
Wheelock is more designed to teach classical latin. Latin is fundamentally Latin (nominative is subject and accusative object) but the vocabulary and syntax differs. Wheelock will prepare the reader to read Caesar (Gallic Wars) and eventually Cicero etc. The vocab is more martial and secular. Collins is built around the vocabulary of the church and the vulgate. Nunn's grammar of eccl. latin is also helpful, but it is not designed to teach beginners.
The thing to do is to learn the vocabulary and the forms (declensions and conjugations) and find someone to help you with the exercises...or enroll in a school with a kind-hearted prof who will help you learn Latin --yes, I know, at FULLER!
rsc