Instructor – Dr Patrick Owens, PhD
Watch Patrick speaking in Latin in the video below or at this link.
In Person course: 3 – 14 August 2026
Spoken Latin summer 2026
After the success of Spoken Latin 2025 our course in 2026 will be over 2 weeks.
Spoken Latin is an immersive and intensive course. Classes are held fully in Latin. Participants will need to limit their outside responsibilities in order to allow for considerable daily preparation.
Latin isn’t a living language anymore so there is less exposure to natural conversation. With us you can learn, like listening to music by ear and performance, not just studying theory.
Think in Latin, not just translate.
Instead of memorizing rules, you will begin to “feel” what sounds right
Confidently be able to ask and answer questions, describe things, and even hold conversations about history or daily life
Gain a deeper cultural feel, experiencing Latin as a living language, not just an academic code.
People well versed in Latin, but without experience in speaking the language, will engage in activities and conversations in spoken Latin, along with proficient speakers.
Teachers will learn techniques for actively teaching the fundamentals of Latin morphology, syntax, and vocabulary in spoken Latin by participating in education-in-action.
Students will confront the foundational morphology, syntax and vocabulary of the Latin language through a communicative approach.
Aims
At the end of this course the participants will have:
- developed the ability to hear, comprehend and respond to instructions in Latin;
- gained the facility to carry-on conversations in Latin;
- gained greater ease with reading Latin texts from actively speaking the language.
4 hours weekday mornings, including breaks.
The course anticipates the student will spend 60 hours in personal reading and study.
Cost: £595
Course material
Course book: Hans Ørberg, Lingua Latina per se Illustrata: Familia Romana.
The advanced speakers will follow a subsequent book of the same series chosen to meet the proficiency and needs of those who enrol.
Recommended volumes include:
Jeanne Neumann, Companion to Familia Romana. Focus, 2016.
Roberto Carfagni, Nova exercitia Latina. Schola Latina, 2015.
Reginaldus Foster – Daniel McCarthy, Ossa Latinitatis Sola, CUA 2015.
To enquire or register please contact –
Clare Cogswell, Registrar: info@benedictine-institute.org