Massively multilingual short stories
This week, I started work on a series of short texts in English, that can be translated and reused in any language. These are really just a test and a benchmark to see if the idea can work, following a discussion on Reddit about another similar project. And so far, so good. The idea isContinue reading “Massively multilingual short stories”
Making Latin Documentary Clips
On our Youtube channel we have posted three short Ancient History documentary clips, that are currently in German. These are available as Creative Commons downloads, so our plan is to translate and dub them into Latin. There are close to 200 clips in the full Creative Commons series by ZDF, which include science and climateContinue reading “Making Latin Documentary Clips”
Teaching tools for Spoken Latin from 1913
The Direct Method, the Natural Method: Latin teachers have been trying to move away from grammar-based teaching for a very long time. Hans Ørberg and contemporaries like the Polis Institute had many antecedents. One of these was the group of teachers inspired by WHD Rouse, who taught spoken Latin and Greek at the Perse SchoolContinue reading “Teaching tools for Spoken Latin from 1913”
All we are saying is Give Greek a chance
For many years now, the Ancient Greek Wikipedia has languished as a Wikimedia project in the “incubator”, where it appears it is doomed to stay forever, according to current Wikimedia policy. Unlike the Latin Vicipaedia, or the Sanskrit Wikipedia, the project did not launch before the Wikimedia Language Committee imposed an absolute ban on whatContinue reading “All we are saying is Give Greek a chance”
Why Latin books are still disappearing
I was fascinated to read Daniel Petterson’s story behind the repopularisation of the out of print novel Ad Alpēs, which he digitised and brought into print in 2017. The author, Herbert Chester Nutting, died in 1934. The book has gained a lot of interest, and is now freely available on Wikisource as a downloadable ebook;Continue reading “Why Latin books are still disappearing”
Making a Latin language world map
It may sound complicated, but in fact it is not. And you can help with the hard part, if you wish. In 2004, Open Street Map launched, with the aim of providing a freely licenced, reusable, volunteer-built world map. Perhaps against the odds, they have succeeded in providing a very detailed map, that now providesContinue reading “Making a Latin language world map”
Classics and minority languages should grab this chance immediately
German TV channel ZDF has published a series of excellent, high quality documentary clips under a Creative Commons by licence, meaning anyone can translate, edit and reuse them. Here is a clip about Roman law, there are many others about the classical world. These are already being used on Wikipedia, but perhaps one of theContinue reading “Classics and minority languages should grab this chance immediately”
Sharing is caring: how to share and mean it
When we make something, we usually want others to benefit from what we do. In the world of Latin learning, there are some very important gaps for students that free sharing can help with. Teachers already share resources among themselves, understandably, to reduce their workload and widen their options at low cost. However, most ofContinue reading “Sharing is caring: how to share and mean it”
What Open Latin wants to achieve
This site is intended to promote the use of open publishing of Latin resources. Latin benefits from a huge public domain — out of copyright works, and works that were never in copyright. This allows people to produce and reuse extremely valuable content. The Internet age has allowed Latinists to benefit through sharing and creatingContinue reading “What Open Latin wants to achieve”
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