Meta Description: Are you looking for the best curriculum to learn the Latin language? Join Dr. David Noe, Dr. Jeff Winkle, and Dr. Patrick Owens on the Ad Navseam Podcast as they debate the merits of the Cambridge Latin Course versus Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata. Discover which method leads to true language acquisition.
Introduction: The Great Latin Curriculum Debate
Choosing the right resources to learn the Latin language can feel like navigating a labyrinth without a thread. Last week, in Part 1 of our curriculum review, we explored the “Grammar-Translation” method with heavyweights like Wheelock’s Latin. But what if you want to learn Latin by reading stories rather than memorizing charts?
In Episode 49 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle return to the “vomitorium” to continue their deep dive with special guest Dr. Patrick Owens. Dr. Owens, a renowned expert in spoken Latin and pedagogy, joins the show remotely to tackle the two giants of the “Reading Method” and the “Direct Method”: the Cambridge Latin Course and Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata.
If you are a student, a homeschool parent, or a lifelong learner trying to master the language of Cicero, this comparison is essential.
The “Reading Method”: The Cambridge Latin Course
For decades, the Cambridge Latin Course (CLC) has been a staple in secondary schools, particularly in the UK and US. Unlike the grammar-heavy Wheelock, Cambridge immerses students immediately in a narrative.
The Story of Caecilius
The series is famous for its opening line: Caecilius est in horto (“Caecilius is in the garden”). It follows a real historical figure, a banker named Caecilius living in Pompeii, his wife Metella, their son Quintus, and—most importantly—their dog, Cerberus.
The Pros:
- Engagement: Students love the soap opera elements. There are Grumio the cook, peacocks, and eventually, the eruption of Vesuvius. As Dr. Winkle notes, the narrative hook keeps students interested far longer than abstract sentences about sailors and farmers.
- Cultural Context: The books are rich with photos and historical essays in English, giving students a vivid picture of Roman life.
The Cons: The Problem of “Imprinting”
However, Dr. Owens raises a significant pedagogical concern. Because the stories are so memorable and the vocabulary is often accompanied by pictures or English glosses, students can fall into a trap called “imprinting”.
- What is Imprinting? Students memorize the story rather than the language. When they see a sentence, they remember, “Oh, this is the part where the dog jumps on the table,” without actually processing the grammar or syntax.
- The Grammar Gap: Cambridge is notorious for “hiding” the grammar. Dr. Noe points out that the subjunctive mood—a crucial feature of the Latin language—doesn’t appear until the third or fourth book. By the time students encounter complex grammar, they have often developed bad habits of guessing meaning from context clues rather than reading the text accurately.
The “Ecce Romani” Parallel
The hosts also briefly mention Ecce Romani, another reading-method text famous for the Cornelian family. It is best known for the sentence Raeda in fossa est (“The carriage is in the ditch”), which occurs so frequently that it becomes a meme for students. Like Cambridge, it suffers from the issue of students memorizing the plot (the carriage is always in the ditch) rather than mastering the Latin language.
The “Nature Method”: Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata
If Cambridge is a fun but flawed narrative, Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata (LLPSI) is the rigorous, immersive alternative that Dr. Owens calls the “gold standard” for acquiring the Latin language.
What Makes it Different?
The title translates to “The Latin Language Illustrated Through Itself.”
- Zero English: The most shocking feature for new students is that there is not a single word of English in the entire book. It starts with Roma in Italia est (“Rome is in Italy”) and builds from there.
- Contextual Learning: Instead of looking up words in a dictionary at the back, students learn vocabulary through pictures and marginal notes written in simpler Latin. If you don’t know a word, the book explains it using words you already learned in Chapter 1.
The Story: The Aemilius Family
Like Cambridge, LLPSI follows a family: Julius (the father), Aemilia (the mother), and their children, Marcus and Quintus.
- Dr. Winkle’s Critique: The story is a bit… dry. Julius is a wealthy Roman who seems mostly concerned with counting his money and beating his slaves when they misbehave. Unlike the exciting doom of Pompeii in Cambridge, Ørberg’s family drama is more “domestic” (and occasionally violent).
- Dr. Owens’ Defense: While the story might lack the cinematic flair of Vesuvius exploding, the pedagogy is superior. Because the text forces you to stay in Latin 100% of the time, your brain begins to process the language directly, rather than translating it into English first.
Learning vs. Acquiring: The Critical Distinction
The core of Dr. Owens’ argument in this episode is the difference between learning a language and acquiring it.
- Learning: This is what happens in the Grammar-Translation method (and often with Cambridge). You learn about the language—its rules, charts, and history. You treat it like a math problem to be solved.
- Acquisition: This is how you learned your native language as a child. You internalize the patterns so deeply that you can produce and understand sentences without consciously thinking about the grammar rules.
Why Ørberg Wins on Acquisition
Dr. Owens argues that Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata is the only major textbook designed for acquisition. By removing the English crutch, it forces the brain to think in Latin.
- The Macaronic Problem: Textbooks that mix English and Latin (macaronic texts) encourage the brain to switch back and forth, which hinders fluency. Ørberg keeps the brain in “Latin mode” for the entire session.
- The Evidence: Dr. Owens notes that he has seen students read Ørberg and attain a level of fluency that students of other methods rarely reach. They aren’t just decoding; they are reading.
The Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
So, which curriculum is right for you?
Choose Cambridge Latin Course if:
- You are a younger student (middle school age) who needs high engagement and stories to stay interested.
- You are interested in Roman culture and history as much as the language itself.
- You have a teacher who can supplement the text with rigorous grammar instruction to prevent “imprinting”.
Choose Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata if:
- You are a serious student (high school or adult) who wants to achieve fluency.
- You want to read Latin literature as it was written, without constantly translating in your head.
- You are willing to accept a steeper learning curve in exchange for deeper mastery.
As Dr. Noe summarizes, while Cambridge has its place for engagement, Ørberg is the text that truly respects the intelligence of the learner and the integrity of the Latin language.
A Gustatory Parting Shot
No episode of Ad Navseam is complete without a little flavor.This week’s Gustatory Parting Shot comes from Ben Schott, author of Jeeves and the Leap of Faith:
“As Sherlock Holmes once observed, when you’ve excluded the inevitable, whatever remains, however unpalatable, must be lunch.”
Whether your Latin studies are unpalatable or delicious depends partly on the “tool” you choose. Choose wisely!
Valete!
